FRAGMENT ROTATIONAL-EXCITATION DUE TO THE PARENT ROTATION IN THE DISSOCIATION OF MOLECULES

An analytical expression is derived to estimate how much parent rotati onal energy is carried over to the fragment rotation when a molecule i s dissociated. The model is based on the classical treatment of rotati onal motion, by which the effect can be estimated separately from othe r sources of rotational excitation. It can readily be applied to the p arent and fragment molecules of any size and of any type. Some illustr ative examples of its application are given to demonstrate the relativ e importance of the parent rotation in exciting the fragment rotation.