Abstract. The direct photodissociation process SO + + h v ~S + + O has been studied using the technique of ion photofragment spectroscopy. The kinetic energy distribution of the S photofragments has been measured for selected wavelengths in the range )~ = 308-514.5 nm. Transitions from the metastable a4H state to the dissociative 1 427 + state as well as from the X2H ground state to a higher-lying 2H state have been observed. From the vibrationally resolved kinetic energy spectra, the potential curve of the repulsive 1 4X + state has been determined for the range of internuclear distances R = 3.0-4.5 a 0. In addition, the analysis gives the vibrational population of the SO + (a4H) ions after dissociative electron-impact ionization of SOs in the low-pressure monoplasmatron ion source.