Theoretical Studies of Spectroscopic Line Mixing in Remote Sensing Applications with Theoretical Support to Improve the Accuracy of the HITRAN H2O Database

Columbia University, New York NY

Investigators

Abstract

The HITRAN (high-resolution transmission) molecular absorption database currently contains some 7.4 million spectral lines of some 47 different molecular species (https://www.cfa.harvard.edu/hitran/ ) As such, along with appropriate computer codes, it can be used to accurately calculate the spectroscopic properties (transmission and emission) of light in the terrestrial (and other planetary) atmospheres. The HITRAN database is widely used by thousands of scientists and engineers, tackling a large range of scientific problems and interests. This project has two stated objectives namely : (1) continuing studying theoretical and computational treatment of line mixing for molecules that are important in remote sensing and spectroscopy, and , (2) providing theoretical support for improving the accuracy of the HITRAN database, in particular calculation of H2O lineshapes. The first objective is based on prior NSF support to develop a formalism capable of studying line mixing from interactions between a molecular absorber and molecular perturbers. The second objective represents continuing effort to improve the accuracy of spectroscopic parameters of H2O lineshapes in spectral databases, specifically HITRAN, and related compilations.