Dissociation Energy of the NO Molecule

During a new investigation of the NO band spectrum many bands of the β and γ system were photographed and analysed, and the rotational constants evaluated. Intensity drops and perturbations were found and two predissociation limits at 53800 and 50500 cm -1 were established. In this way the dissociation energy of NO is fixed at 4.29 eV. The X 2 π ground state of NO dissociates in the N( 2 D )+O( 3 P ) atomic term combination. The new dissociation scheme is strongly supported by the results of photochemical experiments.