A new band system in the ultraviolet emission spectrum of nitric oxide trapped in an argon matrix

A new UV band system identified as emission from the theor. predicted but so far unobserved 2F state of NO trapped in an Ar matrix is reported. The energy of the v = 0 level is estd. to be 6.57 +- 0.015 or 6.785 +- 0.015 eV. The intensity distribution yields an internuclear distance of 1.415 +- 0.015 .ANG.. [on SciFinder (R)]