A shock-tube measurement of the SiO(E1Σ+ ? X1Σ+) transition moment

The sum of the squares of the electronic transition moments, Σ|R_e|², for the E¹Σ⁺ ?X¹Σ⁺ band system of SiO has been determined from absorption measurements conducted in the reflected-shock region of a shock tube. The test gas was produced by shock-heating a mixture of SiCl₄, N₂O and Ar, and the spectra were recorded photographically in the 150–230 nm wavelength range. The values of the Σ|R_e|² were determined by comparing the measured absorption spectra with those produced by a line-be-line synthetic spectrum calculation. The value of the Σ|R_e|² so deduced at an r-centroid value of 3.0 Bohr was 0.86±0.10 atomic units.