English

Ortho-para transition in molecular hydrogen

Chemical Physics 2009-11-13 v1 Atomic Physics

Abstract

The radiative ortho-para transition in the molecular hydrogen is studied. This highly forbidden transition is very sensitive to relativistic and subtle nonadiabatic effects. Our result for the transition rate in the ground vibrational level Γ(J=1J=0)=6.20(62)1014\iyr\Gamma(J=1\to J=0) = 6.20(62)\cdot 10^{-14} \iyr is significantly lower in comparison to all the previous approximate calculations. Experimental detection of such a weak line by observation of, for example, the cold interstellar molecular hydrogen is at present unlikely.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.0801.0561,
  title  = {Ortho-para transition in molecular hydrogen},
  author = {Krzysztof Pachucki and Jacek Komasa},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:0801.0561},
  year   = {2009}
}

Comments

4 pages, submitted to Phys. Rev. A

R2 v1 2026-06-21T09:59:21.522Z