Imes's research and doctoral thesis led to his publication of Measurements on the Near-Infrared Absorption of Some Diatomic Gases in November 1919 in the Astrophysical Journal. This work was followed by a paper co-authored and presented in November 1919 jointly with Harrison M. Randall, "The Fine Structure of the Near Infra-Red Absorption Bands of HCI, HBr, and HF" at the American Physical Society ; it was published in the Physical Review in February 1920. This work demonstrated for the first time that Quantum Theory could be applied to the rotational energy states of molecules, as well as to the vibration and electronic levels. Imes's work provided an early verification of Quantum Theory. It became known in Europe as well as in the United States.