THE INFRARED ABSORPTION OF WATER VAPOR

Abstract : The infrared absorption of water vapor was calculated over a wide range of path length, pressure, and temperature from 1/1000 cm to 1/10,000 cm. The results are presented in extensive tables which give the transmission over intervals of 1/5 cm at wave numbers below 1/3400 cm. The transmission over intervals of 20, 50, and 1/100 cm is given over the complete frequency range. The calculated data representing the intensity, position, and number of spectral lines in a given frequency interval is tabulated in a form which is useful for transmission calculations. All lines from all isotopic species having an intensity greater than 10 to the -8th power of the strongest line in an absorption region were included in the calculation. The quasi-random model for the representation of band spectra is discussed in detail. Among its features are the possibility of representing the absorption by a series of lines which are arranged neither at random nor in a regular way. (Author)