Context :

Aims :

Methods : We used the dual-band receiver GREAT on board the SOFIA airborne telescope to perform observations of the [ C II ] 158 \mu m fine-structure line at the postitions of two giant molecular clouds ( GMC ) in the center of IC 342 ( GMCs C and E ) and compared the spectra with corresponding ground-based data for low- and mid- J CO and [ C I ] .
We performed model calculations assuming a clumpy photo-dissociation region ( PDR ) environment using the KOSMA- \tau PDR model code to derive physical parameters of the local medium .

Results : The [ C II ] 158 \mu m emission resembles the spectral signature of ground-based atomic and molecular lines , which indicates a common origin .
The emission from GMC E can be decomposed into a cool , molecular component with weak far-ultraviolet ( FUV ) fields and low , mean densities of 10 ^ { 3 } cm ^ { -3 } and a strongly excited starburst/PDR region with higher densities of 10 ^ { 4 } cm ^ { -3 } and FUV intensities of 250-300 Draine fields .
The emission from GMC C is consistent with gas densities of 5000 cm ^ { -3 } , FUV intensities of a few Draine fields and total gas masses of 20 \times 10 ^ { 6 } M _ { \odot } .

Conclusions : The high spectral resolution of the GREAT receiver allowed us to decompose the [ C II ] emission of the GMC E into a strongly excited gas component resembling a PDR/starburst environment and a quieter , less excited gas component and to analyze the different components within a single beam individually .