Depolarized rayleigh scattering: Orientational correlation functions of acetonitrile and carbon disulfide

Depolarized Rayleigh scattering from acetonitrile and carbon disulfide has been studied in the temperature range from — 40 °C to 74.5°C and from −40°C to 33.5° C, respectively. Orientational correlation functions, cross angular momentum‐orientation correlation functions, and memory functions have been calculated and are compared with J‐diffusion model predictions. At short times the J‐diffusion model gives a poor description of the experimental correlation functions. It is concluded that a more complicated memory of the dynamical state during the collision than the J‐diffusion assumption of a random walk in angular momentum space is necessary for an adequate description of the molecular reorientation at short times in these liquids.