Frequency splitting of degenerate spherical cavity modes: stimulated Raman scattering spectrum of deformed droplets

High-resolution interferometric spectra of the stimulated Raman scattering (SRS) spectra from flowing ethanol droplets are presented. The linewidths of the SRS peaks are less than 0.005 cm(-1), and the equal frequency spacings of the SRS peaks are an order of magnitude smaller than the spacings for morphology-dependent resonances of a perfect sphere. The observed results from droplets that are deformed by inertial effects are consistent with T-matrix and perturbation predictions of frequency splitting into the various azimuthal modes of a (2n + 1)-degenerate morphology-dependent resonance with angular momentum n in a perfect sphere.