Observation of the fast component in the fluorescence of gaseous SO2 excited to the A1A2 state in the presence of a magnetic field

Effects of an external magnetic field (B) on the SO₂ fluorescence have been examined under excitation of the ‘C’ band and the single rotational levels of the ‘B’ and ‘E’ bands of the A(¹A₂) ← X¹A₁ transition. For the ‘C’ band, the total SO₂ fluorescence was studied, while for excitation of the single rotational levels, fluorescence of the single rotational lines of (^rR₅(5) (31711 cm^-1), ^pP₇(7) (31662 cm^-1)) (‘E’ band) and of (^rR₈(8) (31000 cm^-1), ^pP₁₀(10) (30927 cm^-1)) (‘B’ band) was studied. Decay of the SO² fluorescence was studied with nanosecond time resolution in the 1?5–50 mTorr region. In the presence of a magnetic field, decay of the total SO₂ fluorescence and of the fluorescence belonging to the single rotational lines were fitted by the bi-exponential functions. In the case of the total SO₂ fluorescence, this function also includes the time independent term, which, however, is dependent on a magnetic field. The time independent term belongs to the long-living component, which can be approximated by a constant in the time-scale studied. Radiationless processes induced by an external field were directly observed. The magnetic field and pressure dependences of the processes induced by a field were studied under excitation of the SO₂ fluorescence by light of a different wavelength. The data obtained were explained by the direct mechanism.