This is a program to conduct spectroscopic studies of molecular cations. The species on which the investigations will focus most are H+3 and CH5+. Results of measurements on the former have extremely important astrophysical applications, as this cation was recently observed in two young stellar objects. The second is chosen as a natural continuation of earlier work by this group on CH2+, CH3+ and C2H3+, species which are very important in carbon chemistry. Extensions to molecular clusters will also be attempted.
