Predissociation lifetimes of the E 2Π and F 2Π states of CH

Using the Golden Rule approximation, the predissociation lifetime of the v=0 vibrational level of the CH (E 2Π) state, due to its strong avoided crossing with the CH (F 2Π) state, was found to be of the order of τpre≈2 ps. This agrees well with the recent rotationally resolved experimental lifetimes. As expected, higher vibrational levels of the E and F states are extremely short-lived, having a τpre of the order of a few fs.