FORMATION AND IDENTIFICATION OF INTERSTELLAR MOLECULE LINEAR C(5)H FROM PHOTOLYSIS OF METHANE DISPERSED IN SOLID NEON

Abstract

Photolysis of methane dispersed (1/1000) in solid Ne at 3 K with vacuum-ultraviolet light from a synchrotron produced infrared absorption lines of several products, including new lines at 3319.3 and 1955.5 cm(-1). Based on experiments with isotopic labeling and results of quantum-chemical calculations, these lines are assigned to the C-H stretching and C=C stretching modes, respectively, of interstellar molecule linear C(5)H radicals.