Spatial uniformity of the beta-relaxation in D-sorbitol

Signatures of the slow p-relaxation of D-sorbitol as observed by macroscopi c dielectric relaxation and solvation dynamics over a wide range of tempera tures are compared. The latter technique senses the local dielectric relaxa tion in the immediate vicinity of a chromophore, which is present only at v ery low concentrations. The conformity of locally sensitized and macroscopi cally averaged results for the glassy state indicates that the secondary re laxation is a spatially uniform feature. If the P-process were spatially co nfined it should not be detectable by solvation probes. (C) 1998 Elsevier S cience B.V. All rights reserved.