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Title: Radiative lifetimes for the A /sup 2/Pi and B /sup 2/. sigma. /sup +/ electronic states of the CN molecule

Journal Article · · Astrophys. J.; (United States)
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1086/159998· OSTI ID:6805045

Electronic transition moments, as a function of internuclear distance, have been calculated for the A /sup 2/Pibold-arrow-left-rightX /sup 2/..sigma../sup +/, B /sup 2/..sigma../sup +/, bold-arrow-left-rightX /sup 2/..sigma../sup +/, and B /sup 2/..sigma../sup 2/bold-arrow-left-rightA /sup 2/Pi transitions in the CN molecule by employing large configuration interaction wave functions. These ab initio electronic transition moments have been combined with vibrational wave functions determined from experimental (RKR) potential energy curves to produce spontaneous transition probabilities and absorption oscillator strengths for these three transitions. The resulting radiative lifetimes for the B/sup 2/..sigma../sup +/ electronic state, and the absorption oscillator strengths to this state from the ground electronic state, are in excellent agreement with the experimental data. The theoretical radiative lifetimes for the A /sup 2/Pi electronic state are somewhat longer than recent experimental results and decrease monotonically from a value of 11.2 ..mu..s at ..nu..' = 0 to 4.5 ..mu..s at ..nu..' = 19.

Research Organization:
Los Alamos National Laboratory, University of California, Los Alamos, NM
OSTI ID:
6805045
Journal Information:
Astrophys. J.; (United States), Vol. 257:1
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English