Shock tube measurements of the optical absorption of triatomic carbon, C3

The spectral absorption of C3 has been measured in a shock tube using a test gas mixture of acetylene diluted with argon. The absorption of a pulsed xenon light source was measured by means of eight photomultiplier channels to a spectrograph and an accompanying drum camera. The postshock test gas temperature and pressure were varied over the range 3300-4300 K and 0.36 to 2.13 atmospheres, respectively. The results showed appreciable absorption from C3 for the wavelength range 300 to 540 nanometers. The computed electronic oscillator strength varied from 0.12 to 0.06 as a function of temperature.