Rotation-Vibration Interaction in Electronic Transitions. Application to Rotational ``Temperature'' Measurements

Abstract

The effect of rotation‐vibration interaction on line intensities in electronic transitions in diatomic molecules is discussed. It is shown that this effect is closely related to the variation in the electronic transition moment with internuclear distance. The relation of this to the determination of rotational temperatures is discussed, using the OH radical as an example. It is shown that a neglect of this interaction can lead to the observation of apparently abnormal temperatures.