15min:

A. SHAYESTEH, K. TERESZCHUK AND P. F. BERNATH, Department of Chemistry, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, N2L 3G1, Canada..

Emission spectra of MgH and MgD have been investigated in the 8000 - 22000 cm^-1 region using a high resolution Fourier transform spectrometer. These molecules were generated in a furnace-discharge source, at about 900 K and 333 mA discharge current with magnesium and a mixture of Ar and H₂ or D₂ gases. The recorded spectra contain not only the well-known A ² - X ^{2 +} transitions, but also the B' ^{2 +} - X ^{2 +} transitions of MgH and MgD. We obtained data for v'' = 2 to 9 for the ground state of MgH and v'' = 3 to 13 for MgD. Analyses of the data is in progress, and will lead to improved potential energy curves for the X ^{2 +} states of MgH and MgD. These results will be presented at the time of symposium.