Theoretical study of the spin-orbit coupling in the X2Π state of OH

The spin-orbit coupling constant, A(r), as a function of internuclear distance (r) was computed for the X²Π state of OH, using the microscopic spin-orbit Hamiltonian, extended basis sets, and extensive configuration-interaction wavefunctions. Our best theoretical results are in excellent agreement with the “experimental” A(r) functions deduced from an inversion of the observed A_v. Our calculated first-order contributions to A_v, v ≤ 10, obtained by vibrationally averaging our theoretical A(r) function using the X²Π RKR potential, differ from experiment by less than 0.12%. A minimum occurs in the A_v at v = 7 in agreement with experiment, reflecting the local minimum in A(r) near 2.8 bohr. The second-order contributions to A_v are only about 0.1% for v ≤ 10. They arise mainly from the A²Σ⁺ state for the lower vibrational levels, but each of the A²Σ⁺, B²Σ⁺, (1)²Σ^?, (1)⁴Σ^?, and (1)²Δ states contributes significantly for higher vibrational levels. Spin-orbit centrifugal distortion parameters, A_Dv and a_Dv, are reported for v ≤ 6. The theoretical A_Dv are also in excellent agreement with experiment when the “experimental” A(r) function has the same slope at the equilibrium separation as that obtained from the effective spin-rotation constants of OH, OD, and OT.