Near-infrared and Visible Opacities of S-type Stars: The B1Π—X1Σ+ Band System of ZrO

The ZrO B1Π—X1Σ+ transition is an important opacity source in the near-infrared and optical spectrum of S-type stars. The 0–0, 0–1, 0–2, 1–0, 1–2, 1–3, 2–0, 2–1, 2–3, 2–4, 3–1, 3–4, and 4–2 bands of the 90Zr16O B1Π—X1Σ+ transition are reanalyzed using a high-temperature (2390 K) high-resolution (0.04 cm−1) emission spectrum collected at the National Solar Observatory (Kitt Peak). A modern spectroscopic analysis was performed using the PGOPHER program to provide updated spectroscopic constants and to produce a high-precision line list with line strengths based on an ab initio calculation of the transition dipole moment.

Spectroscopic constants and anharmonic force field of dithioformic acid and its isomers: a theoretical study

The potential astronomical interest dithioformic acid (trans-HC(=S)SH) exists five isomers and has received considerable attention of astronomical observation in recent years. The different positions of H atoms of five isomers lead to diverse point groups, dipole moments, and spectroscopic constants. The anharmonic force field and spectroscopic constants of them are calculated using CCSD(T) and B3LYP employing correlation consistent basis sets. Molecular structures, dipole moments, rotational constants, and fundamental frequencies of trans-HC(=S)SH are compared with the available experimental data. The B3LYP/Gen=5 and CCSD(T)/Gen=Q results can reproduce them well. Molecular structures, dipole moments, relative energies, spectroscopic constants of cis-HC(=S)SH and dithiohydroxy carbene (DTHC) are also calculated. The new data obtained in this study are expected to guide the future high resolution experimental work and to assist astronomical search for CH2S2.

A Spectroscopic Validation of the Improved Lennard–Jones Model

The Lennard–Jones (LJ) and Improved Lennard–Jones (ILJ) potential models have been deeply tested on the most accurate CCSD(T)/CBS electronic energies calculated for some weakly bound prototype systems. These results are important to plan the correct application of such models to systems at increasing complexity. CCSD(T)/CBS ground state electronic energies were determined for 21 diatomic systems composed by the combination of the noble gas atoms. These potentials were employed to calculate the rovibrational spectroscopic constants, and the results show that for 20 of the 21 pairs the ILJ predictions agree more effectively with the experimental data than those of the LJ model. The CCSD(T)/CBS energies were also used to determine the β parameter of the ILJ form, related to the softness/hardness of the interacting partners and controlling the shape of the potential well. This information supports the experimental finding that suggests the adoption of β≈9 for most of the systems involving noble gas atoms. The He-Ne and He-Ar molecules have a lifetime of less than 1ps in the 200–500 K temperature range, indicating that they are not considered stable under thermal conditions of gaseous bulks. Furthermore, the controversy concerning the presence of a “virtual” or a “real” vibrational state in the He2 molecule is discussed.

Low-Lying Electronic States of the Nickel Dimer

The generalized Van Vleck second order multireference perturbation theory (GVVPT2) method was used to investigate the low-lying electronic states of Ni2. Because the nickel atom has an excitation energy of only 0.025 eV to its first excited state (the least in the first row of transition elements), Ni2 has a particularly large number of low-lying states. Full potential energy curves (PECs) of more than a dozen low-lying electronic states of Ni2, resulting from the atomic combinations 3F4 + 3F4 and 3D3 + 3D3, were computed. In agreement with previous theoretical studies, we found the lowest lying states of Ni2 to correlate with the 3D3 + 3D3 dissociation limit, and the holes in the d-subshells were in the subspace of delta orbitals (i.e., the so-dubbed δδ-states). In particular, the ground state was determined as X 1Γg and had spectroscopic constants: bond length (Re) = 2.26 Å, harmonic frequency (ωe) = 276.0 cm−1, and binding energy (De) = 1.75 eV; whereas the 1 1Σg+ excited state (with spectroscopic constants: Re = 2.26 Å, ωe = 276.8 cm−1, and De = 1.75) of the 3D3 + 3D3 dissociation channel lay at only 16.4 cm−1 (0.002 eV) above the ground state at the equilibrium geometry. Inclusion of scalar relativistic effects through the spin-free exact two component (sf-X2C) method reduced the bond lengths of both of these two states to 2.20 Å, and increased their binding energies to 1.95 eV and harmonic frequencies to 296.0 cm−1 for X 1Γg and 297.0 cm−1 for 1 1Σg+. These values are in good agreement with experimental values of Re = 2.1545 ± 0.0004 Å, ωe = 280 ± 20 cm−1, and D0 = 2.042 ± 0.002 eV for the ground state. All states considered within the 3F4 + 3F4 dissociation channel proved to be energetically high-lying and van der Waals-like in nature. In contrast to most previous theoretical studies of Ni2, full PECs of all considered electronic states of the molecule were produced.

Computational Characterization of Astrophysical Species: The Case of Noble Gas Hydride Cations

Theoretical–computational studies together with recent astronomical observations have shown that under extreme conditions in the interstellar medium (ISM), complexes of noble gases may be formed. Such observations have generated a wide range of possibilities. In order to identify new species containing such atoms, the present study gathers spectroscopic data for noble gas hydride cations, NgH+ (Ng = He, Ne, Ar) from high-level ab initio quantum chemistry computations, aiming to contribute in understanding the chemical bonding and electron sharing in these systems. The interaction potentials are obtained from CCSD(T)/CBS and MRCI+Q calculations using large basis sets, and then employed to compute vibrational levels and molecular spectroscopic constants for all known stable isotopologues of ground state NgH+ cations. Comparisons with previously reported values available are discussed, indicating that the present data could serve as a benchmark for future studies on these systems and on higher-order cationic noble gas hydrides of astrophysical interest.