High-resolution Fourier transform infrared spectra of SiO were recorde
d from two sources, the umbral region of a sunspot and a high-temperat
ure laboratory cell. Rovibrational transitions in the sunspot absorpti
on spectrum were measured in consecutive vibrational bands from (1, 0)
to (13, 12) with J values as high as 141 for (SiO)-Si-28-O-16 (1258 l
ines) and (1, 0) to (6, 5) for (SiO)-Si-29-O-16 and (SiO)-Si-30-O-16 (
455 lines). In the lower temperature laboratory emission spectrum only
387 rotational lines in the (1, 0) to (5, 4) bands were measured excl
usively for (SiO)-Si-28-O-16. The laboratory spectrum served primarily
to calibrate the lines in the sunspot spectrum to absolute rest frequ
encies. An improved set of Dunham constants for the (1) Sigma(+) groun
d state was obtained from a global fit of a combined data set consisti
ng of our IR data and all the previously reported microwave and millim
eter-wave data. In addition, an internuclear potential for the (1) Sig
ma(+) ground state, in the form of a parameterized modified-Morse func
tion, was also obtained by fitting the data directly to the eigenvalue
s of the radial Schrodinger equation.