Fourier transform emission spectroscopy of YH and YD: observation of new A1Δ and B1Π electronic states

The emission spectra of YH and YD molecules have been investigated in the 3600-12,000 cm(-1) region using a Fourier transform spectrometer. Molecules were formed in an yttrium hollow cathode lamp operated with a continuous flow of a mixture of Ne and Ar gases, and YH and YD were observed together in the same spectra. A group of bands observed near 1 μm have been identified as 0-0 and 1-1 bands of the A(1)Δ-X(1)Σ(+) and B(1)Π-X(1)Σ(+) transitions of YH and the 0-0 bands of the same two transitions for YD. The A(1)Δ and B(1)Π states of YH are separated by only about 12 cm(-1) and are involved in strong interactions. A perturbation analysis has been performed using the PGOPHER program to fit the two interacting electronic states and spectroscopic parameters for the A(1)Δ and B(1)Π states, including the interaction matrix elements, have been obtained for the first time.     

Emission spectroscopy of a new Δ-1Δ system of VO

High-resolution spectra of VO have been reinvestigated in the 12 000-31 000 cm⁻¹ region. VO was produced in a vanadium hollow cathode lamp by discharging 1.5 Torr of Ar and the spectra were recorded using a Fourier transform spectrometer. The oxygen needed to produce VO was present in the system as an impurity. Three new bands observed in the 21 000-22 100 cm⁻¹ region have been attributed to a new ²Δ-1²Δ electronic transition of VO. Two bands, with origins near 21 044 and 22 038 cm⁻¹, have been assigned as the 0-1 and 0-0 bands of the ²Δ_3/2-1²Δ_3/2 sub-band while a weak band with an origin near 21 975 cm⁻¹ has been assigned as the 0-0 band of the corresponding ²Δ_5/2-1²Δ_5/2 sub-band. A rotational analysis of these sub-bands has been obtained and spectroscopic constants have been extracted. The 1²Δ state is known from the previous analyses of the doublet transitions of VO in the near infrared. The present observation has allowed the determination of the vibrational interval ΔG_1/2 and the equilibrium rotational constants for the 1²Δ_3/2 state.     

Optical–optical double resonance spectroscopy of the transition of CaOH

The state of CaOH was investigated using optical–optical double resonance spectroscopy. A combined least-squares fit of the double resonance transition data along with optical transition data and the millimeter-wave pure rotational data of the state was performed using an effective Hamiltonian. The spin–rotation constant was determined for the state for the first time. An analysis of these constants showed that the Ca–O bond length and spin–rotation parameter of the state have the smallest values of all the observed ²Σ⁺ states of CaOH. This evidence suggests the assignment of the state as arising from a Ca⁺ atomic orbital of mainly 5sσ character. This atomic orbital assignment was shown to be consistent with both previous work on CaF and recent theoretical calculations on CaOH.     

Ground-based solar absorption studies for the Carbon Cycle science by Fourier Transform Spectroscopy (CC-FTS) mission

Carbon cycle science by Fourier transform spectroscopy (CC-FTS) is an advanced study for a future satellite mission. The goal of the mission is to obtain a better understanding of the carbon cycle in the Earth's atmosphere by monitoring total and partial columns of CO₂, CH₄, N₂O, and CO in the near infrared. CO₂, CH₄, and N₂O are important greenhouse gases, and CO is produced by incomplete combustion. The molecular O₂ column is also needed to obtain the effective optical path of the reflected sunlight and is used to normalize the column densities of the other gases. As part of this advanced study, ground-based Fourier transform spectra are used to evaluate the spectral region and resolution needed. Spectra in the 3950–7140 cm^?1 region with a spectral resolution of 0.0042 cm^?1 recorded at Kiruna (67.84°N, 20.41°E, and 419 m above sea level), Sweden, on 1 April 1998, were degraded to the resolutions of 0.01, 0.1, and 0.3 cm^?1. The effect of spectral resolution on the retrievals has been investigated with these four Kiruna spectra. To obtain further information on the spectral resolution, optical components and spectroscopic parameters required by the future mission, high-resolution solar absorption spectra between 2000 and 15000 cm^?1 were recorded using Fourier transform spectrometers at Kitt Peak (31.9°N, 111.6°W, and 2.1 km above sea level), Arizona, on 25 July 2005 and Waterloo (43.5°N, 80.6°W, and 0.3 km above sea level), Ontario, on 22 November 2006 with spectral resolutions of 0.01 and 0.1 cm^?1, respectively. Dry air volume mixing ratios (VMRs) of CO₂ and CH₄ were retrieved from these ground-based observations. The HITRAN 2004 spectroscopic parameters are used with the SFIT2 package for the spectral analysis. The measurement precisions for CO₂ and CH₄ total columns are better than 1.07% and 1.13%, respectively, for our observations. Based on these results, a Fourier transform spectrometer (maximum spectral resolution of 0.1 cm^?1 or 5 cm maximum optical path difference (MOPD)) operating between 2000 and 15000 cm^?1 is suggested as the primary instrument for the mission. Further progress in improving the atmospheric retrievals for CO₂, CH₄, and O₂ requires new laboratory measurements of the spectroscopic line parameters.     

Revised molecular constants and term values for the XΠ and BΣ states of OH

An improved set of molecular constants and term values are given for the X²Π (v = 0–13) and B²Σ⁺ (v = 0 and 1) states of the OH radical. They are derived from a fit of previously published laboratory data and additional lines taken from infrared solar spectra recorded on orbit.     

Infrared absorption cross sections for methanol

Infrared absorption cross sections for methanol, CH₃OH, have been determined near 3.4 and 10 μm from spectra recorded using a high-resolution FTIR spectrometer (Bruker IFS 125HR) and a multipass cell with a maximum optical path length of 19.3 m. Methanol/dry synthetic air mixtures were prepared and spectra were recorded at 0.015 cm^?1 resolution (calculated as 0.9/MOPD) at a number of temperatures and pressures (50–760 Torr and 204–296 K) appropriate for atmospheric conditions. Intensities were calibrated using composite methanol spectra taken from the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) IR database. The new measurements in the 10 μm region indicate problems with the existing methanol spectroscopic line parameters in the HITRAN database, which will impact the accuracy of satellite retrievals.     

Einstein A coefficients and absolute line intensities for the E2Π–X2Σ+ transition of CaH

Einstein A coefficients and absolute line intensities have been calculated for the E²Π–X²Σ⁺ transition of CaH. Using wavefunctions derived from the Rydberg–Klein–Rees (RKR) method and electronic transition dipole moment functions obtained from high-level ab initio calculations, rotationless transition dipole moment matrix elements have been calculated for all 10 bands involving v′=0,1 of the E²Π state and v″=0,1,2,3,4 of the X²Σ state. The rotational line strength factors (Hönl–London factors) are derived for the intermediate coupling case between Hund's case (a) and (b) for the E²Π–X²Σ⁺ transition. The computed transition dipole moments and the spectroscopic constants from a recent study [Ram et al., Journal of Molecular Spectroscopy 2011;266:86–91] have been combined to generate line lists containing Einstein A coefficients and absolute line intensities for 10 bands of the E²Π–X²Σ⁺ transition of CaH for J-values up to 50.5. The absolute line intensities have been used to determine a rotational temperature of 778±3 °C for the CaH sample in the recent study.     

High resolution emission spectroscopy of the E2Π–X2Σ+ transition of SrH and SrD

Emission spectra of SrH and SrD have been studied at high resolution using a Fourier transform spectrometer. The molecules have been produced in a high temperature furnace from the reaction of strontium metal vapor with H₂/D₂ in the presence of a slow flow of Ar gas. The spectra observed in the 18 000–19 500 cm^?1 region consist of the 0–0 and 1–1 bands of the E²Π–X²Σ⁺ transition of the two isotopologues. A rotational analysis of these bands has been obtained by combining the present measurements with previously available pure rotation and vibration–rotation measurements for the ground state, and improved spectroscopic constants have been obtained for the E²Π state. The present analysis provides spectroscopic constants for the E²Π state as ΔG(½) = 1166.1011(15) cm^?1, B_e = 3.805503(32) cm^?1, α_e = 0.098880(47) cm^?1, r_e = 2.1083727(89) Å for SrH, and ΔG(½) = 839.1283(23) cm^?1, B_e = 1.918564(15) cm^?1, α_e = 0.034719(23) cm^?1, r_e = 2.1121943(83) Å for SrD.     

Fourier transform emission spectroscopy: The vibration-rotation spectrum of CuH

The Fourier transform infrared emission spectrum of CuH was observed. The (1, 0), (2, 1), and (2, 0) vibration-rotation bands of both ⁶³CuH and ⁶⁵CuH were recorded from a copper hollow-cathode discharge in neon and hydrogen. Improved molecular constants for the v = 0, 1, and 2 levels of CuH are provided. This work is the first observation of a vibration-rotation spectrum of a metal hydride in emission.