Raman-induced rotational coherence in the ground vibronic state of gaseous molecules, air, nitrogen, and oxygen, was studied by using the femtosecond polarization spectroscopy. Coherence-burst signals due to the rotational coherences were observed in picosecond region. Their Fourier spectra give the frequencies of the induced coherences between the rotational levels. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.