Published online by Cambridge University Press: 12 April 2016
This report will be devoted to a discussion of the theoretical interpretation of the spectra of comets and in this discussion we shall consider successively a number of molecules that have been studied recently: CN, CH, C2, C3, OH, CH+. The first two of this list, CN and CH, have been analysed in greatest detail until now, so that we shall be rather brief on the other molecules. We shall try to indicate what kind of information can be derived from these studies concerning the conditions prevailing in cometary atmospheres and to show which fundamental data are needed in the calculation of the theoretical spectra.