Vibrationally Excited C$_4$H

Rotational spectra in four new excited vibrational levels of the linear carbon chain radical C$_4$H radical were observed in the millimeter band between 69 and 364 GHz in a low pressure glow discharge, and two of these were observed in a supersonic molecular beam between 19 and 38 GHz. All have rotational constants within 0.4% of the $^2Σ^+$ ground vibrational state of C$_4$H and were assigned to new bending vibrational levels, two each with $^2Σ$ and $^2Π$ vibrational symmetry. The new levels are tentatively assigned to the $1ν_6$ and $1ν_5$ bending vibrational modes (both with $^2Π$ symmetry), and the $1ν_6 + 1ν_7$ and $1ν_5 + 1ν_6$ combination levels ($^2Σ$ symmetry) on the basis of the derived spectroscopic constants, relative intensities in our discharge source, and published laser spectroscopic and quantum calculations. Prior spectroscopic constants in the $1ν_7$ and $2ν_7$ levels were refined. Also presented are interferometric maps of the ground state and the $1ν_7$ level obtained with the SMA near 257 GHz which show that C$_4$H is present near the central star in IRC+10216. We found no evidence with the SMA for the new vibrationally excited levels of C$_4$H at a peak flux density averaged over a $3^{\prime\prime}$ synthesized beam of $\ge 0.15$ Jy/beam in the 294-296 and 304-306 GHz range, but it is anticipated that rotational lines in the new levels might be observed in IRC+10216 when ALMA attains its full design capability.

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