A low-field spin flop transition in the quasi one-dimensional antiferromagnet ba is exploited to study the polarization dependence of low-energy magnetic excitations. The measured longitudinal spectrum is best described as single broad continuum, with no sharp ``longitudinal mode, in apparent contradiction with the commonly used chain-MF/RPA theories. The observed behavior is also quite different than that previously seen in the related kcuf material, presumably due to a large difference in the relative strength of inter-chain interactions. The results highlight the limitations of the chain-MF/RPA approach.
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