Empirical rovibronic energy levels of C3

Abstract

ABSTRACT The carbon trimer, C 3 also known as propadienediylidene, is a quasi-linear molecule with an unusual electronic structure and a very flat bending potential in its ground electronic state. C 3 is an important species in astrophysics and carbon plasmas. Observed transition wavenumbers within and between the X ~ 1 Σ g + and A ~ 1 Π u states of C 3 are extracted from 21 papers and then subjected to a Measured Active Rotational-Vibrational Energy Levels (MARVEL) analysis: a corrected list of 4940 transitions are inverted to yield 1887 empirical energy levels. Uncertainties for these levels are determined using a newly implemented bootstrap method. These levels will provide input for developing a full spectroscopic model for C 3 which can used to generate a line list for the X ~ 1 Σ g + and A ~ 1 Π u states.