DOES BLACK-BODY RADIATION CAUSE INTRAMOLECULAR VIBRATIONAL-RELAXATION

Trajectory calculations simulating the interaction of a classical plan e electromagnetic wave with a highly rotationally excited ethane molec ule in a quasi-bound state are reported. The internal motions of the m olecule are markedly changed within 4 to 6 x 10(-12)s of commencing th e illumination, with the divergence between the perturbed and unpertur bed trajectories being exponential during this period. The energy of t he molecule is perturbed by about 10(-5) cm(-1).