The Electric Dipole Moment of the CO2-CO van der Waals Complex

Radiofrequency transitions within K = 2 asymmetry doublets have been observed for the CO2-CO van der Waals complex. A Stark effect measurement on the J = 2, K = 2 transition provides an electric dipole moment of µ = 0.2493(1) D. Combining this result with the permanent moment of CO, µCO = 0.1098 D, gives a change of moment on complex formation of Deltaµ = 0.140 D. The sign of Deltaµ is such that the CO end of the complex is more positive than CO2. The origin of Deltaµ should not be attributed to any single mechanism, and several different contributions to Deltaµ are discussed. Copyright 1998 Academic Press.