15min:
SPECTROSCOPY OF THE A3 Pi-X3 Sigma- TRANSITIONS OF NH-He AND NH-H2.

GALINA KERENSKAYA, MICHAEL C. HEAVEN, Department of Chemistry, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322.

Complex features of NH-He were observed in conjunction with the A-X 1-0 and 0-0 transitions. Bands appear to be clustered around the lowest rotational line of the monomer. The energy range spanned by the sharp structure is only 6.5 cm-1. The lowest energy feature is red shifted from the monomer by about 3 cm-1.

A bound-free continuum spectrum was observed for NH-H2 in the region of the A-X 0-0 transition. Excitation to the A state is speculated to result in rapid NH-H2 -> NH2 + H reaction. The ground state dissociation energy of D0''=32.4cm-1 was deduced from the spectrum.

Theoretical analyses of the NH-He and NH-H2 A-X bands are in progress.