ROLE OF THE RESONANCE FUNCTION IN THE ROTATIONAL RELAXATION OF MOLECULES

The dependence of the cross section of the rotational relaxation of mo lecules on the energy discrepancy (DELTAE) in collision is clearly obs erved in various types of collisional interactions, such as those of d ipole-dipole, quadrupole-dipole, and London dispersion. It is found th at the DELTAE dependence is quite different according to the order of collisional interaction. This result is explained by the conception of the resonance function in the Anderson-Tsao-Curnutte and the quantum Fourier transform theories. A new physical interpretation of the reson ance function is also given on the basis of both theories.