Abstract

There has been extensive world-wide use of chloro-fluoro-carbons (CFC’s), especially CFC-11 (CFCl₃) and CFC-12 (CF₂Cl₂), hydro-chloro-fluoro-carbons (HCFC’s), HCFC-22 (CHFCl₂) in particular, and sulphur hexaflouride (SFg) in numerous many industrial applications.^1-3 These chemicals possess either a strong ozone-depletion potential⁴ or a glob al-warming potential,^5-7 or both, and pose a threat to the inhabitability of our planet. Recognition of this fact has led to significant curtailment, if not total banishment, of their use globally. However, as recent satellite observations⁸ have shown, decline in their atmospheric concentrations may not be immediate. The marked depletion of ozone which has been observed in recent years at high latitudes has made infrared remote sensing of the atmosphere an activity of high priority.^8-11 The success of any infrared remote sensing experiment conducted in the atmosphere depends upon the availability of accurate, high-resolution, spectroscopic data that are applicable to that experiment. This paper presents a preliminary phase of a multi-faceted work using a Fourier-transform spectrometer (FTS) which is in progress in our laboratory. The concept of how laboratory-borne measurements can be geared toward obtaining a database that is directly applicable to sattelie-borne remote sensing missions is the main thrust of this paper which addresses itself to ongoing or planned international space missions. Spectroscopic data on the unresolvable bands of the above mentioned as well as several other man-made gases and on the individual spectral lines of such naturally present trace gases as CO₂, N₂O, NH₃, and CH₄ are presented. There is often significant overlap between the isolated lines (Fig. 1) of better known bands of the more abundant species and the weaker absorption features identifiable as bands of the currently less abundant CFCs, HCFCs, and SF₆ (Fig. 2).

© 1995 Optical Society of America