IS SONOLUMINESCENCE DUE TO COLLISION-INDUCED EMISSION

We estimate the collision-induced emission (CIE) intensity and profile in the visible and near UV region of the spectrum of N-2-X pairs, whe re X represents another N-2 molecule or an argon atom, etc, of shock w aves believed to exist in sonoluminescence experiments. Calculated pro files consist of superimposed high overtone bands and resemble the mea sured profiles. Intensities calculated on the basis of a few, simple a ssumptions concerning the induced dipole surface compare favorably wit h measurements. The agreement obtained suggests that CIE is an attract ive alternative to bremsstrahlung to explain sonoluminescence. The CIE source is optically thin, and the spectral emission profile is not re lated to Planck's law.