# ExoMol line lists XXXI: Spectroscopy of lowest eights electronic states of C$_2$

## TL;DR

This paper provides comprehensive and accurate spectroscopic line lists for the carbon dimer (C₂), covering eight electronic states, using high-level quantum calculations and empirical data fitting, to aid astrophysical and laboratory research.

## Contribution

The study introduces new detailed line lists for C₂'s eight lowest electronic states, combining advanced quantum calculations with empirical data refinement.

## Key findings

- Line lists for three main isotopologues are provided.
- Potential energy and transition dipole moment curves are computed at high accuracy.
- Refined spectroscopic data improve modeling of C₂ in various environments.

## Abstract

Accurate line lists for the carbon dimer, C$_2$, are presented. These line lists cover rovibronic transitions between the eight lowest electronic states: $X\,{}^{1}\Sigma_{g}^{+}$, $a\,{}^{3}\Pi_{u}$, $A\,{}^{1}\Pi_{u}$, $b\,^{3}\Sigma_{g}^{-}$, $b\,^{3}\Sigma_{g}^{-}$, $c\,^{3}\Sigma_{u}^{+}$, $d\,{}^{3}\Pi_{g}$, $B\,{}^{1}\Delta_{g}$, $B^\prime\,{}^{1}\Sigma_{g}^{+}$. Potential energy curves (PECs) and transition dipole moment curves are computed on a large grid of geometries using the aug-cc-pwCVQZ-DK/MRCI level of theory including core and core-valence correlations and scalar relativistic energy corrections. The same level of theory is used to compute spin-orbit and electronic angular momentum couplings. The PECs and couplings are refined by fitting to the empirical (MARVEL) energies of $^{12}$C$_2$ using the nuclear-motion program Duo. The transition dipole moment curves are represented as analytical functions to reduce the numerical noise when computing transition line strengths. Partition functions, full line lists, Land\'{e}-factors and lifetimes for three main isotopologues of C$_2$ ($^{12}$C$_2$,$^{13}$C$_2$ and $^{12}$C$^{13}$C) are made available in electronic form from the CDS (http://cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr) and ExoMol (www.exomol.com) databases.