We have measured the polarization of collisionally redistributed light as a function of detuning from line center for the Hg3P1ndash;1S0transition in the presence of Ar. We present a polarization profile for the red wing between 5 and 18 cmminus;1and polarizations for two detunings in the blue wing. We compare this type of experiment to the complementary method of photodissociation and discuss the issue of coherence between excitation pathhyphen;ways. The data are analyzed using a simple molecular reorientation model suggested by others which includes coherent excitation. The model is shown to be unable to completely account for the high polarizations measured in this experiment. We suggest reasons for the failure of this model.
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