Knowledge Bank

The fluorescence of iodine due to excitation with the 5145.36 {\AA} line of the argon ion laser results from initially populating the $J1=11$ and 15 states of the $v1=14$ level of the B $Oo+$ excited electronic state. Rates for quenching, rotational energy transfer (with $\Delta v1$ = 0), total vibrational relaxation out of $v1=43$, and transfer into a particular vibrationally inelastic channel have been obtained. Multiquantum transfer was observed, corresponding to $\Delta v1=+5$ through $\Delta v1=-8$. The results were analyzed with a first-order model, using an exponentially repulsive intermolecular potential. This procedure, with detailed balancing included, was successful in reproducing the experimentally observed vibrational population distribution.