A dynamic light scattering study of the hypersonic relaxation in liquid toluene

Brillouin spectra of liquid toluene have been measured between 288 and 358 K using a dynamic light scattering technique. The polarized spectra have been modeled according to Mountain's theory. The most relevant quantity of the theory, namely the relaxation time, has been used to check the validity of several molecular models proposed to interpret vibrational-translational energy exchanges observed in nonassociated liquids. (C) 2001 American Institute of Physics.