3 API

The main interface to the database is provided by the AmesPAHdb instance, which will parse the dowloaded XML-file utilizing a XMLParser instance. The available PAH data is divided into four parts, each handled by its own class and providing its own functionality.

1. The Species class, which deals with the PAH molecular properties,

2. The Transitions class, which deals with the fundamental vibrational transitions,

3. The Laboratory class, which deals with the raw laboratory spectrum, and

4. The Geometry class, which deals with the geometrical data.

The AmesPAHdb instance will return one of these class instances upon request. In addition, the Transitions instance returns class instances upon convolving, co-adding and fitting spectra; a Spectrum, Coadded and Fitted or MCFitted instance, respectively. The Observation class can handle some commonly used astronomical data formats.

The application programming interface (API) and its use is described in turn.

• 3.1 Main Interface
• 3.2 Accessing the molecular PAH data
• 3.3 Working with Molecular PAH Properties
• 3.4 Working with fundamental vibrational transitions
• 3.5 Working with Molecular Geometric Data
• 3.6 Working with Raw Laboratory Spectra
• 3.7 Working Outside the AmesPAHdbPythonSuite Classes
• 3.8 Creating PAH Spectra
• 3.9 Spectroscopic Database Fitting