The geometric content of the interacting boson model for molecular spectra

The recently proposed algebraic model for collective spectra of diatomic molecules is analysed in terms of conventional geometrical degrees of freedom. We present a mapping of the algebraic hamiltonian onto an exactly solvable geometrical hamiltonian with the Morse potential. This mapping explains the success of the algebraic model in reproducing the low-lying part of molecular spectra. At the same time the mapping shows that the expression for the dipole transition operators in terms of boson operators differs from the simplest IBM expression and in general must include many-body boson terms. The study also provides an insight into the problem of possible interpretations of the bosons in the nuclear IBM. (orig.)