Vertical excitation as a transient phenomenon

For a particular model with two electronic states, each with two vibrations, the dipole correlation function governing electronic absorption is e ^?iωOt cosγt with spectrum ω ₀±γ. The function starts as e ^?iωOt (γ?ω ₀), with Fourier transform peaking around ω ₀ instead of ω ₀±γ, and this is associated with vertical excitation. After a time t～2/γ the spectrum goes over into the normal one. As a generalization, a procedure is outlined for characterizing the state reached first after interaction with light is initiated. Finally it is suggested that one can understand aspects of internal conversion by analogy with the case of vertical excitation.