Laser-induced fluorescence studies of molecular nitrogen

Recent advances in excitation methods of molecules in the gas phase and in detection and data acquisition techniques are utilized for studying the photophysics, of N//2. Selective excitation of high lying electronic states of the molecule is achieved by applying a pulsed electrical discharge followed by a pulsed laser beam. By monitoring and analyzing the wavelength- and time-resolved fluorescence, new information on fast collisional coupling between the electronic states is obtained. This information is crucial to the understanding of photophysical and photochemical processes in systems containing excited nitrogen, including atmospheric phenomena such as auroras and airglows.