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Science 9 September 1988:
Vol. 241. no. 4871, pp. 1319 - 1322
DOI: 10.1126/science.241.4871.1319
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Articles

Detection of C3 in the Circumstellar Shell of IRC+10216

KENNETH W. HINKLE 1, JOHN J. KEADY 2, and PETER F. BERNATH 3

1 Kitt Peak National Observatory, National Optical Astronomy Observatories, Tucson, AZ 85726.
2 Theoretical Division, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM 87545.
3 Department of Chemistry, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721.

Vibration-rotation lines of C3 have been identified in the circumstellar spectrum of the obscured carbon star IRC+10216. This molecule is of interest in both the chemistry of flames, where it may be involved in the formation of soot, and in astrophysics, where it is a potential building block for carbonaceous grains. This high-resolution infrared detection of the pure carbon chain molecule C3 allows the estimation of the equilibrium C-C bond length, 1.297 angstroms. Possible astrophysical formation and destruction mechanisms for C3 are reviewed, including the relationship between C3 and carbon clusters.

Submitted on April 29, 1988
Accepted on July 27, 1988


THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES:
Infrared laser spectroscopy of the linear C13 carbon cluster.
T. Giesen, A Van Orden, H. Hwang, R. Fellers, R. Provencal, and R. Saykally (1994)
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The C7 cluster: structure and infrared frequencies.
J. Heath, R. Sheeks, A. Cooksy, and R. Saykally (1990)
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Detection of C5 in the Circumstellar Shell of IRC+10216.
P. F. BERNATH, K. H. HINKLE, and J. J. KEADY (1989)
Science 244, 562-564
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Diode-laser absorption spectroscopy of supersonic carbon cluster beams: the nu 3 spectrum of C5.
J. Heath, A. Cooksy, M. Gruebele, C. Schmuttenmaer, and R. Saykally (1989)
Science 244, 564-566
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