A comprehensive light scattering study of a liquid composed of symmetric top molecules

We have studied the VH, HH, and VV quasielastic light scattering spectra of the near‐symmetric top triphenylphosphite at several scattering angles and over a wide range of temperatures, such that (k 2η/ρmΓ) varied from 0.085 to 3600, where k is the scattering vector, η the shear viscosity, ρm the mass density, and Γ the ’’reorientation’’ frequency. The data have been analyzed in a consistent manner in terms of a generalized hydrodynamic theory in which, in addition to the observed dielectric fluctuations (e) and the conserved hydrodynamic collective variables (n,pe,), unspecified ’’slow’’ variables (Fs, Ft) are included, where, at k→0, Fs is a symmetric and Fa an antisymmetric second rank tensor. Since the theory interrelates the relaxation processes, giving rise to the scattering at different polarizations, the spectra provide enough information to evaluate the considerable number of adjustable temperature‐dependent, but ω‐ and k‐independent, transport coefficients involved in the analysis. Of par...