Electronic absorption spectra of CO2-trapped in γ-irradiated crystalline sodium formate

The first three absorption bands of CO2 - trapped in crystalline sodium formate have been detected and their intensities and directions of polarization determined. The spectrum is similar to that theoretically calculated by Green and Linnett [10] for NO2 apart from a large shift to higher energies. In addition the first absorption band of HCO2 - has been shown to be polarized parallel to the O … O direction in this ion.