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Abstract:
We report on the observation of magnetic dipole allowed transitions in the well-characterized A 2Σ+ − X 2Π band system of the OH radical. A Stark decelerator in combination with microwave Rabi spectroscopy is used to control the populations in selected hyperfine levels of both Λ-doublet components of the X 2Π3/2, v = 0, J = 3/2 ground state. Theoretical calculations presented in this Communication predict that the magnetic dipole transitions in the A 2Σ+, v = 1 ← X 2Π, v = 0 band are weaker than the electric dipole transitions by a factor of 2.58 × 103 only, i.e., much less than commonly believed. Our experimental data confirm this prediction.