Orientational dynamics of molecular liquid oxygen

Abstract

The orientational behavior of liquid oxygen is studied by probing its molecular dynamics with a picosecond birefringence technique. Temperature-dependent measurements provide a means to distinguish orientational relaxation processes from intermolecular collisional effects. The results are compared with a hydrodynamic model which reveals the importance of bimolecular forces on the rotational dynamics. © 1987 The American Physical Society.