  We show that a 450 fs nonresonant, moderately intense, linearly polarized
laser pulse can induce field-free molecular axis alignment of methyliodide
molecules dissolved in a helium nanodroplet. Time-resolved measurements reveal
rotational dynamics much slower than that of isolated molecules and,
surprisingly, complete absence of the sharp transient alignment recurrences
characteristic of gas phase molecules. Our results presage a range of new
opportunities for exploring both molecular dynamics in a dissipative
environment and the properties of He nanodroplets.
