H ^ = A J A ^ 2 + B J B ^ 2 + C J C ^ 2
J A
J B
J C
H ^
A symmetric top is a molecule in which two moments of inertia are the same. By definition a symmetric top must have a 3-fold or higher order rotation axis. In practice, spectroscopists divide molecules into two classes of symmetric tops: Oblate symmetric tops (saucer or disc shaped), e.g., C6H6, and Prolate symmetric tops (rugby football, or cigar shaped), e.g. CH3Cl.
quantum Hamiltonian (symmetric top)
quantum-mechanical represention of a molecule as a symmetric top