Pressure broadening by argon in the hyperfine resolved P(10) and P(70) (17,1) transitions of I2 XΣ(0g)→BΠ(0u) using sub-Doppler laser saturation spectroscopy

The dependence of pressure broadening upon hyperfine component in the P(10) and P(70) lines of the (17,1) band of the I₂ X¹Σ(0_g⁺)→B³Π(0_u⁺) has been studied using laser saturation spectroscopy. By limiting absorption to the zero velocity group, Doppler broadening is removed, lineshapes with widths (FWHM) <9 MHz are detectable, and collision-induced broadening is measured at pressures of 0.2-1.2 Torr. The rates for broadening by argon are 8.3±0.3 and 10.7±0.4 MHz/Torr for the P(70) and P(10) lines, respectively. No significant variation in broadening rates is observed for the 15 hyperfine components of these even rotational lines. The effects of velocity cross-relaxation introduce a broad baseline into the spectra, which is strongly dependent on rotational state, pressure, and laser modulation frequency. The observed broadening rates correlate well with prior measurements and the polarizability of the collision partner.     

Helium and argon line broadening in the ν2 band of CH4

The spectra of the gaseous mixtures CH₄-He and CH₄-Ar were obtained in the spectral region 1400-1750 cm⁻¹ with a resolution up to 0.003 cm⁻¹. Helium and argon pressure broadenings for the vibration-rotation lines of the ν₂ band of CH₄ have been estimated at room temperature for some lines in the P, Q, and R branches. These values were also calculated using the theoretical approach developed by Robert and Bonamy, extended to the case of tetrahedral molecules. The helium data have been found to be in a satisfactory agreement whereas a divergence of calculated and measured broadening coefficients has been evidenced in the case of argon. Simulations of the ν₂ band shapes of methane perturbed by helium have also been performed.     

Studies of 183 GHz water line: broadening and shifting by air, N2 and O2 and integral intensity measurements

The 3₁₃-2₂₀ rotational transition of water vapor at 183 GHz was studied using modern resonator spectroscopy methods at atmospheric pressures in the broad frequency range 130-205 GHz down to far wings. The experimental method of sample substitution for the exclusion of the apparatus function was used. The air broadening parameter value was defined as 3.84±0.04 MHz/Torr at 298 K. The observed atmosphere water vapor line center was found to be shifted down at about 53 MHz from the line center at low pressures, which gives a value of −0.07±0.02 MHz/Torr for the air pressure shift parameter. Measurements of broadening and shifting of the water line in pure nitrogen and oxygen atmosphere were also performed. Calculated then parameters of air broadening and shifting agree with directly measured ones within the errors quoted. Measurement of the integral intensity of the line was done. The directly measured integral line intensity coincides with a value given in GEISA and HITRAN databases within experimental error. The results are compared with previous experimental laboratory and satellite data.     

Velocity modulation spectroscopy of molecular ions I: The pure rotational spectrum of TiCl (XΦr)

The pure rotational spectrum of the TiCl⁺ ion in its X³Φ_r ground state has been measured in the frequency range 323-424 GHz, using a combination of direct absorption and velocity modulation techniques. The ion was created in an AC discharge of TiCl₄ and argon. Ten, eleven, and nine rotational transitions were recorded for the ⁴⁸Ti³⁵Cl⁺, ⁴⁸Ti³⁷Cl⁺, and ⁴⁶Ti³⁵Cl⁺ isotopomers, respectively; fine structure splittings were resolved in every transition. The rotational fine structure pattern was irregular with the Ω = 4 component lying in between the Ω = 2 and 3 lines. This result is consistent with the presence of a nearby ³Δ_r state, which perturbs the Ω = 2 and 3 sub-levels, shifting their energies relative to the Ω = 4 component. The data for each isotopomer were analyzed in a global fit, and rotational and fine structure parameters were determined. The value of the spin-spin constant was comparable to that of the spin-orbit parameter, indicating a large second-order spin-orbit contribution to this interaction. The bond length established for TiCl⁺, r₀ = 2.18879 (7) Å, is significantly shorter than that of TiCl, which has r₀ = 2.26749 (4) Å. The shorter bond length likely results from a Ti²⁺Cl⁻ structure in the ion relative to the neutral, which is thought to be represented by a Ti⁺Cl⁻ configuration. The higher charge on the titanium atom shortens the bond.     

Experimental study of the line mixing coefficient for 118.75 GHz oxygen line

The oxygen fine structure line 1− at 118.75 GHz was studied by two spectrometers at low (0.2-3.5 Torr) and high (atmosphere) pressures in air and pure oxygen. Improvement in the spectrometer with BWO and acoustic detector included use of a powerful (more than 40 mW) radiation source. Improvement in the modern resonator spectrometer included exclusion of apparatus function by sample substitution and a wider (110-130 GHz) scanned frequency range. As a result, the 1− oxygen line was observed by both spectrometers with high (up to 450) signal-to-noise ratio which permitted precise measurements of the line parameters. The investigation separated linear- and quadratic-with-pressure displacement of the line center. The line mixing coefficient responsible for apparent quadratic dependence of the center frequency on pressure was measured experimentally for the first time for this line. The line mixing coefficient was measured at 297 K as −4.62(38)×10⁻⁵ Torr⁻¹ for pure oxygen and −5.9(29)×10⁻⁵ Torr⁻¹ for air, compared to the previously calculated value −3.1×10⁻⁵ Torr⁻¹. Linear dependence of the line center frequency on pressure does not exceed ±20 kHz/Torr for air and ±10 kHz/Torr for pure oxygen. Refined values of line broadening were obtained. Integral intensity of the line was measured. A comparison with the previous investigations is presented. Inconsistencies in published data about pressure line shifts of oxygen molecule spectral lines are discussed.     

Pressure Broadening of the Rotational Line of Oxygen at 425 GHz

The pressure broadening of the ¹⁶O¹⁶O rotational line (N, J)=(3, 2)-(1, 2) at 425 GHz by oxygen and nitrogen perturbers at room temperatures have been reported. A spectrometer with BWO and acoustic detector was employed with a double magnetically shielded cell. The signal-to-noise ratio on the line was about 200-250 for self-broadening and about 100 for broadening by N₂ measurements. The pressure-broadening parameters of the line at room temperature (23±0.5°C) were measured as 2.19±0.01 MHz/Torr for self-broadening and 2.215±0.02 MHz/Torr for broadening by nitrogen. Values of these parameters significantly (by about 25%) differ from ones previously measured by H. M. Pickett, E. A. Cohen, and D. E. Brinza, (Astrophys. J.248, L49-L51 (1981)). The results of the present work show the necessity for correction of broadening parameters of this line for the purpose of Earth atmosphere remote sensing. The central frequency of the transition (N, J)=(3, 2)-(1, 2) was measured as 424 763.023±0.020 MHz.     

N2-broadening coefficients in the ν3 band of CS2 at room and low temperatures

Using a tunable diode-laser spectrometer, N₂-broadening coefficients have been measured for 15 lines in the ν₃ band of C³²S₂ at room and low temperatures (298, 273.2, 248.2, 223.2, and 198.2 K). These lines with J values ranging from 2 to 62 are located in the spectral range 1519-1545 cm⁻¹. The collisional widths are obtained by fitting each measured spectral line with a Voigt and a Rautian lineshape model and for a few lines we also used a Galatry model. From these results, we have determined the n parameter of the temperature dependence of each broadening coefficient. A semiclassical calculation of these broadenings has been performed by considering in addition to the main electrostatic quadrupole-quadrupole interaction an anisotropic dispersion contribution leading to satisfactory results at all temperatures and providing the n temperature dependence parameter in good agreement with the experimental determination.     

The high-resolution far-infrared spectrum of methane at the SOLEIL synchrotron

As a tetrahedral molecule, methane has no permanent dipole moment. Its spectrum, however, displays faint absorption lines in the THz region, due to centrifugal distorsion effects. This is important for planetary applications since this region is used to measure methane concentration in some planetary atmospheres, in particular on Titan. Up to now, all measurements relied either on some old low resolution infrared absorption spectra, or on high resolution Stark measurements for low J values only. Even if these results have been reexamined recently [Wishnow EH, Orton GS, Ozier I, Gush HP. The distorsion dipole rotational spectrum of CH₄: a low temperature far-infrared study. J Quant Spectrosc Radiat Transfer 2007;103:102-17], it seemed highly desirable to obtain much more precise laboratory data.The high-intensity synchrotron radiation, combined with a 151.75±0.1 m optical path in a White cell and a Bruker IFS 125 HR FTIR spectrometer at the AILES beamline of SOLEIL, enabled us to record this very weak spectrum at high resolution for the first time. Spectra were obtained in the 50-500 cm⁻¹ wavenumber range at 296 K and 9.91, 20, 50 and 100 mbar with a resolution of 0.00074, 0.00134, 0.0034 and 0.0067 cm⁻¹ (FWHM of the sinc function), respectively. The rotational clusters are fully resolved and the good signal-to-noise ratio has enabled precise measurements of transition intensities (92 cold band lines and 96 Dyad-Dyad hot band lines, with normal abundance intensities in the range 2×10⁻²⁶-1×10⁻²⁴ cm⁻¹/(mol cm⁻²)), yielding an accurate determination of the dipole moment derivatives. Such results should allow a better determination of CH₄ concentration in planetary objects.     

The H2S Spectrum around 0.7 μm

The overtone spectrum of H₂S has been recorded by intracavity laser spectroscopy in the 14100–14400 cm⁻¹spectral region. The rovibrational analysis was performed allowing one to assign not only lines involving the pair of interacting states {(402), (303)} ({(60⁺, 0), (60⁻, 0)} in local mode notation), but also lines involving the interacting states {(322), (223)} ({50⁺, 2), (50⁻, 2)} in local mode notation). Indeed, apart from the strong H₂₂interactions that link the rotational levels of the states (60^±, 0) on the one hand, and the rotational levels of the states (50⁺, 2) on the other hand, we observe that the rotational levels of the two pairs of states interact strongly through anharmonic and Coriolis-type resonances. These resonances transfer intensity to lines involving the (50⁺, 2) pair of states. Altogether 80 rotational upper-state levels have been observed and reproduced satisfactorily using an Hamiltonian matrix that takes explicitly into account the various interactions and assumes the same vibrational energy and rotational constants for the two components of the local mode pairs. The following band centers have been obtained: ν₀(60⁺, 0) = 14291.122 cm⁻¹and ν₀(50^±, 2) = 14284.705 cm⁻¹. Finally a local mode-type behavior is evidenced by the values of the Hamiltonian constants, and refined vibrational local mode parameters are obtained.     

Pressure broadening coefficients of ν5 fundamental band lines of CH3I at 7 μm measured by diode laser absorption spectroscopy

We have measured the room temperature pressure broadening coefficients, γ, of over 100 lines in five Q-branches of the ν₅ perpendicular band of methyl iodide (¹²CH₃I) using tuneable diode laser absorption spectroscopy. The profiles of individual lines in the ^PQ₂, ^PQ₄, ^PQ₅, ^PQ₆ and ^RQ₃ branches were recorded in a 1 m long White cell and at nitrogen or oxygen pressures up to 15 Torr. The lines were fitted to the Voigt profile to obtain the collision broadened line widths. Within individual Q-branches the broadening coefficients decreased monotonically with increasing J and for nitrogen broadening varied between 0.19 cm⁻¹ atm⁻¹ at low J and 0.12 cm⁻¹ atm⁻¹ at high J. The corresponding oxygen broadening coefficients were approximately 20% smaller. Self broadening coefficients were also measured for several of the Q-branches and found to be up to ∼4 times higher than the corresponding nitrogen broadening values.     

Line broadening and shift coefficients of acetylene at 1550 nm

Pressure broadening and shift coefficients have been measured for the ν₁ + ν₃ band of acetylene, C₂H₂, broadened by N₂, H₂, D₂, air, and the noble gases at 295 K. Coefficients are reported for lines between 6470 and 6612 cm⁻¹ (1512-1546 nm). The pressure broadening coefficients are in general agreement with those reported for other vibrational bands, indicating that they are insensitive to vibrational excitation. The pressure shift coefficients, by contrast, are found to differ substantially among vibrational bands.     

Half-width temperature dependence of nitrogen broadened lines in the ν2 band of H2O

Forty-seven N₂ broadened water vapor line-widths have been measured in the 1845-2140 cm⁻¹ spectral range with a Fourier Transform spectrometer in the 258-330 K temperature range at a spectral resolution of 0.005 cm⁻¹ for the lines with upper state rotational quantum number up to 16. The measured exponents of the temperature dependence of the width exhibit a large range of values from 1.60 to −0.86. Theoretical calculations were made using a semi-empirical technique based on the Anderson theory. The calculated broadening coefficients as well as the temperature exponents for the half-width agree satisfactory with measured values.     

Infrared emission spectrum of hot D2O

An emission spectrum of hot D₂O (1500 °C) has been analyzed in the 2077-4323 cm⁻¹ region. A considerable number of new vibration-rotation energy levels have been determined and two new vibrational levels identified. The new (0 4 1) and (0 2 2) vibrational levels have estimated band origins of 7343.93 ± 0.01 and 7826.38 ± 0.02 cm⁻¹, respectively.     

Helium- and argon-broadening coefficients of phosphine lines in the ν2 and ν4 bands

Pressure broadening of phosphine lines by helium and argon at room temperature has been experimentally investigated by high-resolution diode-laser spectroscopy. The broadening coefficients are measured for 38 transitions of PH₃ in the ^QR branch of the ν₂ band and in the ^PP and ^RP branches of the ν₄ band. The recorded lines with J values ranging from 3 to 14 and K from 0 to 10 are located between 1062 and 1094 cm⁻¹. The retrieval of the collisional widths is carried out by fitting each spectral line with a Voigt profile, a Rautian profile and a speed-dependent Rautian profile. The latter model provides larger broadening coefficients than the Voigt model. They are also calculated on the basis of a semiclassical model involving the atom-atom Lennard-Jones potential. The theoretical results are in reasonable agreement with the experimental data and reproduce the J and K dependencies of the broadenings.     

Pressure shift and broadening of 110-101 water vapor lines by atmosphere gases

This paper is devoted to the measurement of pressure shift and broadening parameters of water-vapor lines of the pure rotational transition 1₁₀-1₀₁ in the ground vibrational state of H₂¹⁶O at 556.936 GHz, H₂¹⁷O at 552.02 GHz, H₂¹⁸O at 547.676 GHz, and the vibrationally excited state v₂=1 line of H₂¹⁶O at 658.003 GHz. The broadening coefficients of the line at 556.936 GHz (for N₂ and O₂ as perturbing gases) coincide within the errors with the values obtained recently by Seta et al. [Pressure broadening coefficients of the water vapor lines at 556.936 and 752.033 GHz. JQSRT 2008;109:144-50] by means of a very different technique (THz-TDS). Pressure shift and broadening for other lines were measured for the first time. Comparison of our results with previous measurements and theoretical calculations is presented.     

Pressure broadening coefficients of transitions in the ν5 band of methyl bromide from fitting to Voigt and Galatry line profiles

Tuneable diode laser absorption spectroscopy has been used to measure the room temperature pressure broadening coefficients (γ) of rotational transitions in the v₅ fundamental band of methyl bromide (¹²CH₃⁷⁹Br and ¹²CH₃⁸¹Br) around 6.9 μm. Nitrogen, oxygen and self-broadening coefficients have been determined for 125 lines in the ^RQ₁, ^PQ₃, ^PQ₅, ^PQ₇ and ^PQ₈ branches and 49 P and R branch transitions. Line profiles within Q branches were recorded at incremental pressures of nitrogen and oxygen up to 15 Torr and fitted to a Voigt profile to yield the broadening coefficients. The nitrogen broadened data for 14 lines, chosen from the five Q branches, were also fitted with Galatry profiles. The line profiles of the P and R branch transitions were recorded for total nitrogen and oxygen pressures of up to 300 Torr and fitted to both Voigt and Galatry profiles. Within individual Q branches, nitrogen broadening coefficients were found to decrease monotonically with increasing J from 0.14 cm⁻¹ atm⁻¹ at low J to 0.09 cm⁻¹ atm⁻¹ at high J. The corresponding values for oxygen were approximately 25% smaller. Self-broadening coefficients were found to vary between 0.48 and 0.16 cm⁻¹ atm⁻¹ with a similar J dependence to the foreign gas broadening for J > 20. However, between J = 2 and J ≈ 20 the broadening coefficient was found to increase with J. The magnitude of the pressure broadening coefficient for P and R branch transitions was found to closely follow the J dependence measured for the Q branch lines.     

Ar-Broadening of isotropic Raman lines in the ν2 band of acetylene

Using a high resolution Raman spectrometer, we have measured Ar-broadening coefficients in the ν₂Q branch of C₂H₂ for 22 lines at 295 K, 20 lines at 174 K, and 16 lines at 134 K. These lines with J values ranging from 1 to 23 are located in the spectral range 1970.9-1974.3 cm⁻¹. The collisional widths are obtained by fitting each spectral line with a Rautian profile. The resulting broadening coefficients are compared with theoretical values arising from close coupling and coupled states calculations. A satisfactory agreement is obtained at room as well as at low temperatures, especially for odd J lines. By comparing broadening coefficients at 295, 174, and 134 K from a simple power law, the temperature dependence of these broadenings has been determined both experimentally, and theoretically.     

Line mixing effects in the ν2 + ν3 band of methane

This study provides the first direct experimental measurements of the off-diagonal relaxation matrix element coefficients for line mixing in air-broadened methane spectra for any vibrational band and the first off diagonal relaxation matrix elements associated with line mixing for pure methane in the ν₂ + ν₃ band of ¹²CH₄. The speed-dependent Voigt profile with line mixing is used with a multispectrum nonlinear least squares curve fitting technique to retrieve the various line parameters from 11 self-broadened and 10 air-broadened spectra simultaneously. The room temperature spectra analyzed in this work are recorded at 0.011 cm⁻¹ resolution with the McMath-Pierce Fourier transform spectrometer located at the National Solar Observatory, Kitt Peak, Arizona. The off-diagonal relaxation matrix element coefficients of ν₂ + ν₃ transitions between 4410 and 4629 cm⁻¹ are reported for eighteen pairs with upper state J values between 2 and 11. The observed line mixing coefficients for self broadening vary from 0.0019 to 0.0390 cm⁻¹ atm⁻¹ at 296 K. The measured line mixing coefficients for air broadening vary from 0.0005 to 0.0205 cm⁻¹ atm⁻¹ at 296 K.     

Accurate rest frequencies of submillimeter-wave lines of H2D and D2H

We re-examined the submillimeter-wave transition frequencies of H₂D⁺ (J = 1₁₀ − 1₁₁ at 372.4 GHz) and D₂H⁺ (J = 1₁₀ − 1₀₁ at 691.7 GHz) to resolve suggested slight difference in velocity (v_LSR) of these species detected in the cold pre-stellar core 16293E recently. Both H₂D⁺ and D₂H⁺ were generated in a magnetically confined extended-negative glow discharge of a gaseous mixture of H₂/D₂/Ar. A combination of small improvements in various aspects of the measurements such as double modulation technique combined with a conventional frequency modulation and magnetic field modulation and more efficient signal accumulation method allowed us to improve signal-to-noise ratio, and thus to determine the transition frequencies more accurately. Both transition frequencies for the H₂D⁺ and D₂H⁺ lines have been thus determined to be 372421.385(10) and 691660.483(20) MHz, respectively. These precise rest frequencies suggest that the v_LSR of H₂D⁺ and D₂H⁺ in the pre-stellar core 16293E are indeed different as indicated in a recent astronomical observation. In addition, in this investigation, another transition of H₂D⁺ which falls in this frequency region, J = 3₂₁ − 3₂₂ transition, has been observed at 646430.293(50) MHz. As H₂D⁺ is a lightest asymmetric-top molecule and it is difficult to predict the rotational transition frequencies by using the effective asymmetric rotor Hamiltonian, any new observation of the rotational lines will be useful to improve the molecular parameters. The molecular constants for the ground state have been obtained for H₂D⁺ and D₂H⁺ by fitting these new measured frequencies together with the combination differences.