Fully anharmonic infrared cascade spectra of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons.

Abstract

The infrared (IR) emission of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) permeates our universe; astronomers have detected the IR signatures of PAHs around many interstellar objects. The IR emission of interstellar PAHs differs from their emission as seen under conditions on Earth as they emit through a collisionless cascade down through their excited vibrational states from high internal energies. The difficulty in reproducing interstellar conditions in the laboratory results in a reliance on theoretical techniques. However, the size and complexity of PAHs require careful consideration when producing the theoretical spectra. In this work, we outline the theoretical methods necessary to lead to fully theoretical IR cascade spectra of PAHs including: an anharmonic second order vibrational perturbation theory treatment, the inclusion of Fermi resonances through polyads, and the calculation of anharmonic temperature band shifts and broadenings (including resonances) through a Wang-Landau approach. We also suggest a simplified scheme to calculate vibrational emission spectra that retain the essential characteristics of the full IR cascade treatment and can directly transform low temperature absorption spectra in IR cascade spectra. Additionally we show that past astronomical models were in error in assuming a 15 cm-1 correction was needed to account for anharmonic emission effects.