NEXAFS orientation dependence of a diatomic molecule ($I_{{\sigma }^{\ast }}\propto |\mathbf{e}\cdot \mathbf{n}{|}^2,I_{{\pi }^{\ast }}\propto 1-|\mathbf{e}\cdot \mathbf{n}{|}^2$)

For a diatomic molecular axis $\mathbf{n}$ and unit electric-field polarization $\mathbf{e}$, the axial and summed two transverse dipole transition directions have the displayed geometrical factors. Radial matrix elements differ between resonances. If axes have polar tilt $\beta$ and random azimuth, with electric-field angle $\alpha$ to the surface normal, the mean axial factor is ${\cos }^2\beta {\cos }^2\alpha +\frac{1}{2}{\sin }^2\beta {\sin }^2\alpha$. Polarization-dependent near-edge absorption therefore constrains an orientation distribution, subject to substrate hybridization and instrumental normalization.