Upper and lower bounds of quartic centrifugal distortion constants

Expressions are obtained for the maximum and minimum possible values of the equilibrium centrifugal distortion constants τ_αβγδ for a molecule with given structure and vibrational frequencies. The method of calculation, based on Lagrangian multipliers, is also applied to the empirical centrifugal constants (such as D_J, D_JK, D_K, or Δ_J, Δ_JK, Δ_K, δ_J, δ_K) employed in fitting the rotational structure of spectra. These formulas make it possible to test whether a set of observed centrifugal constants is consistent with the rotational constants and vibrational frequencies. When inconsistencies arise, they are probably due to zero-point vibrational effects. By means of a second method employing inequalities, simpler formulas are derived for wider bounds. These are useful in calculating approximate values of the constants, as a preliminary to deciding which terms to include in the rotational Hamiltonian of any particular molecule.