PREDISSOCIATION EFFECTS IN THE A2-DELTA AND B2-SIGMA- STATES OF CD

Lifetimes have been measured for a large number of rotational levels o f the A2DELTA and B2SIGMA-states in CD using the high frequency deflec tion technique. Four B-state levels are found to be influenced by pred issociation by rotation which demands a lower value of the CD dissocia tion energy. The B state predissociations have also been studied using ab initio calculations. The A state levels above the dissociation lim it are found to be weakly predissociated through interaction with the ground state continuum. The results are compared with earlier lifetime investigations of CH.