Knowledge Bank

Rates for collision-induced transfer from a single rotational level ($N\prime \prime =40,J\prime \prime =41$) to other individual rotational levels within the $v\prime \prime =4$ vibrational level of the $B3\Sigma u-$ state of $S2$ are reported. The $S2$ was excited by atomic Zn line radiation, and rotationally resolved fluorescence measurements were used to determine the rates for the collision partners He, Ar and Xe. Single collision multiquantum transfer is found, but (for $F1\to F1$ transfer) with a magnitude which decreases with $|\Delta N|$. For small $\Delta N,F1\to F1$ transfer is preferred over $F1\to F3,F2$. A surprisal plot for $F1\to F1$ transfer is linear for $|\Delta N|\ge 4$ with the following slopes: He, 4.6; Ar, 3.4; Xe: 1.9. These results and those for vibrational and total rotational $relaxation1$ indicate a brief collision encounter.