Rotational excitation of OH by H2: calculations in intermediate coupling

Abstract
The authors present the results of calculations of cross sections for the rotational excitation of OH by para-H2. The calculations are performed in the angular momentum coupling scheme appropriate to the OH radical, intermediate between Hund's cases a and b. Comparison with previous results, obtained in the case b limit, shows that the principal effect of the spin-orbit interaction is to reduce the asymmetries in the cross sections which lead to preferential excitation of a given component of a Lambda doublet. Nevertheless, the asymmetries remain large, and rotational excitation by H2 may be expected to play an important role in producing the maser emission from the Lambda doublets in the 2 Pi 3/2 ladder, observed in the interstellar medium.