Forbidden absorption bands of O2 in the argon continuum region

Abstract

The absorption spectrum of O2 has been photographed in the argon continuum region with a 3-m vacuum spectrograph at a dispersion of 1.42 Å/mm. Based on the known rotational constants of the ground state, the rotational constants of the upper states have been determined for Tanaka progession (I), β–X3Σg−, progression (II), α1Σu+–X3Σ−, and those of a new band at 1144.6 Å. In a brief discussion of the upper electronic states, it is suggested that both the β state and the upper states of the 1144.6 Å band are 3Σu+ states and their electron configurations are (πg2p)(3pπ) and (πg2p)(4pπ), respectively, and also the α state is (πg2p)(3pπ)1Σu+.