Spectral Deconvolution of the 6196 and 6614 Å Diffuse Interstellar Bands Supports a Common-carrier Origin

Abstract

Abstract We explore the common-carrier hypothesis for the 6196 and 6614 Å diffuse interstellar bands (DIBs). The observed DIB spectra are sharpened using a spectral deconvolution algorithm. This reveals finer spectral features that provide tighter constraints on candidate carriers. We analyze a deconvolved λ6614 DIB spectrum and derive spectroscopic constants that are then used to model the λ6196 spectra. The common-carrier spectroscopic constants enable quantitative fits to the contrasting λ6196 and λ6614 spectra from two sightlines. Highlights of our analysis include (1) sharp cutoffs for the maximum values of the rotational quantum numbers, J max = K max, (2) the λ6614 DIB consisting of a doublet and a red-tail component arising from different carriers, (3) the λ6614 doublet and λ6196 DIBs sharing a common carrier, (4) the contrasting shapes of the λ6614 doublet and λ6196 DIBs arising from different vibration–rotation Coriolis coupling constants that originate from transitions from a common ground state to different upper electronic state degenerate vibrational levels, and (5) the different widths of the two DIBs arising from different effective rotational temperatures associated with principal rotational axes that are parallel and perpendicular to the highest-order symmetry axis. The analysis results suggest a puckered oblate symmetric top carrier with a dipole moment aligned with the highest-order symmetry axis. An example candidate carrier consistent with these specifications is corannulene (C20H10), or one of its symmetric ionic or dehydrogenated forms, whose rotational constants are comparable to those obtained from spectral modeling of the DIB profiles.