text: The phenomenon of predissociation occurs when an electronic transition results in dissociation of the molecule at an excitation energy less than the normal dissociation limit of the upper state. This can occur when the potential energy curve of the upper state crosses the curve for a repulsive state, so that the two states have equal energy at some internuclear distance. This allows the possibility of a radiationless transition to the repulsive state whose energy levels form a continuum, so that there is blurring of the particular vibrational band in the vibrational progression.