1999ApJ...523L..89B

Strong vibronic bands of the ³Σ^–_u←X³Σ^–_g transition of the linear triplet radicals HC₇H and HC₉H have been measured in the gas phase by cavity ringdown spectroscopy. The origin band of HC₇H and the origin and ν₃ bands of HC₉H all exhibit well resolved P and R branches. For HC₉H, the origin band is within 1 Å of the diffuse interstellar band λ5818, yet insufficiently close for positive identification. In both molecules, internal conversion is much more rapid than radiative emission, and fluorescence is not observed. Lower limits on the radiationless lifetime of the upper state of the origin band are determined to be 0.1 ns for HC₇H and 0.01 ns for HC₉H. Because the origin bands of these two radicals are about equally intense, it should be possible to detect longer members of the series in the gas phase.