The water vapour self- and water-nitrogen continuum absorption in the 1000 and 2500 cm(-1) atmospheric windows

The pure water vapour and water-nitrogen continuum absorption in the 1000 and 2500 cm(-1) atmospheric windows has been studied using a 2 m base-length White-type multi-pass cell coupled with a BOMEM DA3-002 Fourier transform infrared spectrometer. The measurements were carried out at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST, Gaithersburg, MD) over the course of several years (2004, 2006-2007, 2009). New data on the H(2)O:N(2) continuum in the 1000 cm(-1) window are presented and summarized along with the other experimental results and the continuum model. The experimental data reported on the water vapour continuum in these atmospheric windows basically agree with the most reliable laboratory data from the other sources. The MT_CKD (Mlawer-Tobin-Clough-Kneizys-Davies) continuum model significantly departs from the experimental data in both windows. The deviation observed includes the continuum magnitude, spectral behaviour and temperature dependence. In the 2500 cm(-1) region, the model does not allow for the nitrogen fundamental collision-induced absorption (CIA) band intensity enhancement caused by H(2)O:N(2) collisions and underestimates the actual absorption by over two orders of magnitude. The water vapour continuum interpretation as a typical CIA spectrum is reviewed and discussed.

First High-Resolution Infrared Observation of the Symmetry-Forbidden nu(5) Band of (10)B(2)H(6)

Spectra of (10)B monoisotopic diborane, B(2)H(6), have been recorded at high resolution (2-3 x 10(-3) cm(-1)) by means of Fourier transform spectroscopy in the region 700-1300 cm(-1). A thorough analysis of the nu(18) a-type, nu(14) c-type, and nu(5) symmetry-forbidden band has been performed. Of particular interest are the results concerning the nu(5) symmetry-forbidden band, which is observed only because it borrows intensity through an a-type Coriolis interaction with the very strong nu(18) infrared band located approximately 350 cm(-1) higher in wavenumber. The nu(5) band has been observed around 833 cm(-1) and consists of a well-resolved Q branch accompanied by weaker P- and R-branch lines. Very anomalous line intensities are seen, with the low K(a) transitions being vanishingly weak, and Raman-like selection rules observed. The determination of the upper state Hamiltonian constants proved to be difficult since the corresponding energy levels of each of the bands are strongly perturbed by nearby dark states. To account for these strong localized resonances, it was necessary to introduce the relevant interacting terms in the Hamiltonian. As a result the upper state energy levels were calculated satisfactorily, and precise vibrational energies and rotational and coupling constants were determined. In particular the following band centers were derived: nu(0) (nu(5)) = 832.8496(70) cm(-1), nu(0) (nu(14)) = 977.57843(70) cm(-1), and nu(0) (nu(18)) = 1178.6346(40) cm(-1). (Type A standard uncertainties (1varsigma) are given in parentheses.) Copyright 2000 Academic Press.

First Observation of the nu(17)-nu(4) Difference Bands of Diborane (10)B(2)H(6) and (11)B(2)H(6)

An analysis of the nu(17)-nu(4) difference bands near 800 cm(-1) of two isotopic species, (10)B(2)H(6) and (11)B(2)H(6), of diborane has been carried out using infrared spectra recorded with a resolution of ca. 0.003 cm(-1). In addition, the nu(17) band of (10)B(2)H(6) has been recorded and assigned. Since this band in (11)B(2)H(6) had already been studied (R. L. Sams, T. A. Blake, S. W. Sharpe, J.-M. Flaud, and W. J. Lafferty, J. Mol. Spectrosc. 191, 331-342 (1998)), it was possible to derive precise energy levels and Hamiltonian constants for the 4(1) vibrational states of both isotopic species. Copyright 2000 Academic Press.

High-Resolution Infrared Spectrum of the Ring-Puckering Band, nu(10), of Diborane

The spectrum of the nu(10) band of diborane, arising from the ring-puckering vibration, has been obtained with a spectral resolution of 0.0015 cm(-1) in the region 275-400 cm(-1). The spectrum of a sample enriched in (10)B was recorded as well as one with naturally abundant boron, i.e., 64% (11)B(2)H(6), 32% (10)B(11)BH(6), and 4% (10)B(2)H(6). This mode is the lowest vibrational level of the molecule and is unperturbed, allowing a complete assignment of not only the fundamental bands but also the 2nu(10)-nu(10) hot bands of all three boron isotopomers. The intensities of several hundred lines of the fundamental and hot bands of all isotopomers have been measured and vibrational transition moments have been obtained. Finally, it has been shown that the harmonic approximation does not apply for nu(10). Copyright 2000 Academic Press.

The High-Resolution Raman Spectrum of the nu4 Band of Diborane

The high-resolution Raman spectra of the nu4 bands of 11B2H6 and 11B10BH6 have been recorded and analyzed. The recordings have been made using a high-resolution spectrometer based on the inverse Raman effect. Q branches have been observed, but P and R branches were too weak to be seen, and simulations of the observed band contour have been necessary to complete the analysis. A weak Coriolis resonance with the 2nu10 level is present in the 11B2H6 spectrum. The band centers obtained are 790.9829(12) and 804.76985(27) cm-1 for 11B2H6 and 10B11BH6, respectively (uncertainties are type A with a coverage factor k = 1, i.e., 1 standard deviation). Copyright 1999 Academic Press.

High-Resolution Study of the First Stretching Overtones of H3Si79Br

The Fourier transform infrared spectrum of monoisotopic H3Si79Br (resolution 7.7 x 10(-3) cm-1) was studied from 4200 to 4520 cm-1, in the region of the first overtones of the Si-H stretching vibration. The investigation of the spectrum revealed the presence of two band systems, the first consisting of one parallel (nu0 = 4340.2002 cm-1) and one perpendicular (nu0 = 4342.1432 cm-1) strong component, and the second of one parallel (nu0 = 4405.789 cm-1) and one perpendicular (nu0 = 4416.233 cm-1) weak component. The rovibrational analysis shows strong local perturbations for both strong and weak systems. Seven hundred eighty-one nonzero-weighted transitions belonging to the strong system [the (200) manifold in the local mode picture] were fitted to a simple model involving a perpendicular component interacting by a weak Coriolis resonance with a parallel component. The most severely perturbed transitions (whose ||obs-calc || values exceeded 3 x 10(-3) cm-1) were given zero weights. The standard deviations of the fit were 1.0 x 10(-3) and 0.69 x 10(-3) cm-1 for the parallel and the perpendicular components, respectively. The weak band system, severely perturbed by many "dark" perturbers, was fitted to a model involving one parallel and one perpendicular band, connected by a Coriolis-type resonance. The K" . DeltaK = +10 to +18 subbands of the perpendicular component, which showed very high observed - calculated values ( approximately 0.5 cm-1), were excluded from this calculation. The standard deviations of the fit were 11 x 10(-3) and 13 x 10(-3) cm-1 for the parallel and the perpendicular components, respectively. Copyright 1998 Academic Press.

The Far Infrared Spectrum of HOCl: Line Positions and Intensities

The far infrared spectrum of HOCl has been recorded at high resolution between 20 and 360 cm-1 by means of Fourier transform spectroscopy, and it was possible to observe pure rotation lines involving rotational levels with high Ka quantum numbers (up to Ka = 9). These lines combined with microwave and tunable far infrared data available in the literature were least squares fitted using a Watson-type Hamiltonian. The fitting leads to precise sets of rotational and centrifugal distortion constants for the ground states of both isotopomers HO35Cl and HO37Cl. Also relative line intensities were measured and their fitting allowed the determination of rotational corrections to the b-component of the permanent transition moment. Finally, to get Hamiltonian constants consistent with the newly determined ground state constants for the (100), (010), (001) vibrational states, available data concerning the nu1, nu2, and nu3 bands were refitted. Three interesting points are to be stressed. For the (001) state, we were able to complete the existing data with rotation lines observed in our spectra up to rather high Ka values (Ka = 7). For HO35Cl, we were able to show that some (010) and (100) levels are perturbed by levels of the (002) and (030) states, respectively, through Coriolis-type interactions. This allows the determination of the band centers of these two dark states. Copyright 1998 Academic Press.

High-Resolution Infrared Study of the nu14, nu17, and nu18 Bands of 11B2H6 and 10B11BH6

Using high-resolution Fourier transform spectra, a thorough analysis of the nu14 c-type, nu17 a-type, and nu18 a-type bands of both 11B2H6 and 10B11BH6 has been carried in the 10.3-, 6.2-, and 8.5-µm spectral regions, respectively. From this analysis a large set of precise ground state combination differences with J values up to 36 (31) and Ka values extending to 18 (18) was derived for 11B2H6(10B11BH6). These data were fitted using a Watson-type Hamiltonian leading to accurate ground state rotational constants. An rs value for the B-B distance has been determined to be 1.7645(10) Å. The determination of upper state Hamiltonian constants proved to be much more difficult since the corresponding rotational levels of each of the bands are strongly perturbed by nearby dark states. To account for these strong localized resonances, it was necessary to introduce the relevant interacting terms in the Hamiltonian matrix. As a result it was possible to calculate the upper state energy levels quite satisfactorily. From these fits, estimates of the band centers and a few of the rotational constants of the resonating dark states were obtained. Copyright 1998 Academic Press.

High Frequency Transitions in the Rotational Spectrum of SO2

A large number of rotational transitions of 32S16O2, 34S16O2, and 32S18O16O have been measured in the mm-, submm-, and terahertz ( approximately 1 THz) spectral regions. These data sets have been combined with all previously measured SO2 microwave and selected far infrared data to obtain a highly precise set of ground state rotational constants for these isotopomers. The rotational constants for the three isotopomers are in MHz as follows: Parameter32S16O234S16O232S18O16O A60778.54977 (44)58991.18295 (51)59101.1690 (27) B10318.07348 (7)10318.50993 (9)9724.64284 (56) C8799.703399 (70)8761.302481 (97)8331.56018 (51) Centrifugal distortion constants up to P10 are included in the fit. A frequency listing of all the data used in the frequency range between about 7 GHz and 1 THz is included. Copyright 1998 Academic Press.

Line Intensities for the 8-µm Bands of SO2

Using both high-resolution (R = 0.003 cm-1) and medium-resolution (R = 0.12 cm-1) Fourier transform spectroscopy, it has been possible to measure accurately a large set of individual line intensities for the nu1 and nu3 bands of SO2 in the 950-1400 cm-1 spectral region. These intensities were introduced into a least-squares fit calculation allowing one to obtain the expansion of the transition moment operator of the nu1 and nu3 bands. For these intensity calculations, the theoretical model takes into account the vibration-rotation interactions linking the upper levels involved in the nu1, 2nu2, and nu3 interacting SO2 bands. Finally, a synthetic spectrum of the 8-µm SO2 bands has been generated using the dipole moment expansion determined in this work and the molecular parameters and the Hamiltonian matrix given in a previous analysis. Copyright 1998 Academic Press.

Rotational Line Strengths and Self-Pressure-Broadening Coefficients for the 1.27-microm, a (1)D(g)-X (3)?(g)(-), v = 0-0 Band of O(2)

We measured at 296 K the rotational line strengths and pressure-broadening coefficients for the 1.27-mum, a (1)D(g)-X (3)?(g)(-), v = 0-0 band of O(2) with a Fourier transform infrared spectrometer using an optical path length of 84 m, a spectral resolution of 0.01 cm(-1), and sample pressures between 13 and 104 kPa. The integrated band strength is 7.79(17) x 10(-6) m(-2) Pa(-1) [7.89(17) x 10(-5) cm(-2) atm(-1)], and the Einstein Acoefficient for spontaneous emission is 2.237(51) x 10(-4) s(-1), which corresponds to an upper-state1/e lifetime of 1.24(3) h. The pressure-broadening coefficients decrease with increasing N and range from 19 to 38 MHz/kPa (FWHM). The mean value for the transitions studied is 30.3(21) MHz/kPa [0.1024(71) cm(-1)/atm] (FWHM). The Einstein A coefficient determined here is in good agreement with the widely accepted value of 2.58 x 10(-4) s(-1) initially obtained by Badgeret al. [J. Chem. Phys. 43, 4345 (1965)] more than 30 years ago. The standard uncertainties given above are one standard deviation.

The High-Resolution Infrared Spectrum of the nu1/2nu2 Fermi Dyad Bands of COF2

High-resolution FTIR data of carbonyl fluoride in the region of the C-O stretch nu1 fundamental have been analyzed. Satisfactory interpretation of the spectral data required a rigorous analysis that involved the inclusion of Fermi resonance with the 2nu2 state and Coriolis interaction with the 2nu3 + nu6 dark state. Deperturbed molecular constants for the three interacting states as well as perturbation parameters that fit the data within the limits of the experimental accuracy of approximately 0.00035 cm-1 have been obtained. Interesting evidence of "axis interchange" in the 2nu2 state has been observed. Copyright 1997 Academic Press. Copyright 1997Academic Press

Infrared Diode-Laser Molecular-Beam Spectrum of the nu2 Band of Chlorine Nitrate at 1293 cm-1

The nu2 band of chlorine nitrate (ClONO2 ) near 1293 cm-1 has been measured in a molecular beam with a diode-laser spectrometer. The low rotational temperature of the molecular beam, approximately 23 K, simplifies the spectrum allowing essentially complete assignment of the 35 Cl and 37 Cl lines. An a /b hybrid band is observed with the a -type transition moment being approximately a factor of 2 larger than the b -type transition moment. An inverted shift of the band origins is found with the 37 Cl band origin blue shifted from the 35 Cl by +0.37 cm-1 . This isotopic shift is attributed to an unidentified anharmonic resonance. Precise spectroscopic constants for the bands of each isotopic species are determined to allow future simulations for modeling atmospheric transmission and for remote sensing applications.

Simultaneous Analysis of the 2nu2, nu1, and nu3 Bands of Hydrogen Telluride

Spectra of a natural sample of hydrogen telluride as well as a spectrum of monoisotopic H2 130Te have been recorded by means of Fourier transform spectrometry with a resolution of 0.003 cm-1 in the spectral domain 7.5-4.3 μm where it is easy to observe the main absorbing bands nu1 and nu3. We have located and assigned for the first time the 2nu2 band which appears in the lower wavenumber range of the recorded spectral domain near 1700 cm-1. It proved necessary to treat simultaneously the three states (020), (100), and (001). nu1 and nu3 are indeed Coriolis-coupled vibration-rotation bands and it was observed that a few rotational levels of (001) could not be fitted to within their experimental accuracy without considering the second-order Coriolis interaction between the rotational levels of (020) and (001). In this way all the experimental levels were calculated to within the experimental uncertainty, and precise sets of vibrational energies and rotational and coupling constants were obtained for the seven most abundant H2Te isotopic species, namely H2 130Te, H2 128Te, H2 126Te, H2 125Te, H2 124Te, H2 123Te, and H2 122Te. For the most abundant isotopic species H2 130Te the bands centers arenu0 (2nu2) = 1715.9568, nu0 (nu1) = 2065.2709, nu0 (nu3) = 2072.1101 cm-1. Copyright 1997Academic Press

Infrared collision-induced absorption by N(2) near 4.3 μm for atmospheric applications: measurements and empirical modeling

Accurate measurements of collision-induced absorption by pure nitrogen in the fundamental band near 4.3 μm have been made in the 0-10 atm and 230-300 K pressure and temperature ranges, respectively. A Fourier-transform spectrometer was used with a resolution of 0.5 cm(-1). The current measurements, which agree well with previous ones but are more precise, reveal that weak features are superimposed on the broad N(2) continuum. These features have negligible temperature dependence, and their origin is not clear at the present time. Available experimental data in the 190-300 K temperature range have been used to build a simple empirical model that is suitable for use to compute atmospheric N(2) absorption. Tests indicate that this model is accurate unlike the estimates produced by widely used atmospheric transmission codes.

Experimental investigation of the self- and N(2)-broadened continuum within the ν(2) band of water vapor

We present an experimental study of the self- and N(2)-broadened H(2) O continuum in microwindows within the ν(2) fundamental centered at ~1600 cm(-1). The continuum is derived from transmission spectra recorded at room temperature with a BOMEM Fourier transform spectrometer at a resolution of ~0.040 cm(-1). Although we find general agreement with previous studies, our results suggest that there is significant near-wing super-Lorentzian behavior that produces a highly wave-number-dependent structure in the continuum as it is currently defined.

Indeterminate human immunodeficiency virus type 1 western blots: seroconversion risk, specificity of supplemental tests, and an algorithm for evaluation

The human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) Western blot is indeterminate in 10%-20% of sera reactive by EIA. Eighty-nine individuals with prior repeatedly reactive EIA and indeterminate Western blots were followed prospectively to study the risk of seroconversion and specificity of supplemental tests. Four high-risk cases seroconverted within 10 months after enrollment (seroconversion risk, 4.5%, 95% confidence interval, 1.2%-11.1%). Among cases with p24 bands initially, 4 (18.2%) of 22 high-risk individuals seroconverted compared with 0 of 33 low-risk cases (P = .03). Specificities of HIV-1 culture, serum p24 antigen, polymerase chain reaction, and recombinant ENV 9 EIA were 100%, 100%, 98.6%, and 94.4%, respectively. An expedited evaluation protocol is proposed. Low-risk individuals with nonreactive EIAs upon repeat testing do not need further follow-up; high-risk individuals should be followed serologically for at least 6 months, especially those with p24 bands on Western blot.

Torsional Splittings and Assignments of the Doppler-Limited Spectrum of Ethane in the C-H Stretching Region

The Doppler-limited absorption spectrum of the C-H stretching region of ethane has been recorded at T≃ 119 K with a tunable difference-frequency laser spectrometer. The strong torsional hot band structure at room temperature is eliminated at 119 K, and the enhanced resolution from the Doppler width reduction allows us to observe small torsional splittings. The two fundamentals in the region, v ₇, a perpendicular band and, v ₅, a parallel band have been essentially completely assigned as have a large number of transitions in the parallel component of the v ₈ + v ₁₁ combination band. A number of perturbations of both global and local nature have been observed. The complete spectrum and a listing of transition wavenumbers, intensities and assignments are presented here to facilitate identification and quantitative analysis of ethane in a variety of monitoring applications. Precise ground state rotational constants have been determined from combination differences.