PRODUCT FINE-STRUCTURE STATE POPULATIONS AND NONADIABATIC DISSOCIATION DYNAMICS - CL-ASTERISK((P1 2C)-P-2)/CL(P-2(3/2)) BRANCHING RATIO IN THE VISIBLE AND NEAR-ULTRAVIOLET PHOTODISSOCIATION OF NITROSYL CHLORIDE/

Chlorine atoms in their P-2(j) states were observed using resonance-en hanced multiphoton ionization and time-of-flight techniques, following the photodissociation of nitrosyl chloride at preselected wavelengths (i.e., 600, 562, 478, and 355 nm). The fine structure branching ratio and the spatial anisotropy parameter were determined. Combining these observations with results from previous studies, a complete picture a bout product fine structure state populations is obtained. The observe d fine structure populations are explained with the aid of a new corre lation diagram in the C-s point group. The adiabatic, nonadiabatic, an d diabatic dissociation dynamics involving several avoided crossings a t large interfragment separations are discussed. (C) 1995 American Ins titute of Physics.