Appendix: Rotational linestrengths Consider:

gJ+1

J+1

nJ+1

Spontaneous emission negligible, so :

J

We know

J,J +1

J , J 1

J +1

J +1,J

Hence,

J , J 1

J 1 , J

J , J 1
J,J +1

and

J +1

J +1

gJ

J 1

J
B

Boltzmann factor

h k B T

expand as a power series:

B B

J , J 1

n.b., rate is ve (absorption dominates emission)

nJ

Appendix: Rotational linestrengths

J

J +1
J , J 1

A typical experiments measures the rate

of absorption of energy (the power):

This is subtly different from the expression

obtained assuming the intensity distribution is
due solely to population effects:

Calculated CO rotational
spectrum for both expressions: