High Resolution Photoacoustic Spectroscopy of the Oxygen A-Band to Support the OCO Missions

Abstract:

NASA’s Orbiting Carbon Observatory missions require spectroscopic parameterization of the Oxygen A-Band absorption (757-775 nm) with unprecedented detail to meet the objective of delivering space-based column CO₂ measurements with an accuracy of better than 1 ppm. This requires spectroscopic parameters with accuracies at the 0.1% level. To achieve this it is necessary for line shape models to include deviations from the Voigt line shape, including the collisional effects of Dicke narrowing, speed-dependence, line mixing (LM), and collision-induced absorption (CIA).

To measure these effects to high accuracy, new innovative lab measurements are required. LM and CIA in particular are difficult to measure using standard spectroscopic techniques because, while present at atmospheric temperatures, these effects are difficult to quantify. At pressures of several atmospheres these effects contribute several percent to the A-Band absorption. While the O₂ A-band is too weak for direct absorption measurements via a diode laser, a very sensitive photoacoustic spectroscopy technique is being used to study the pressure- dependence of the spectral line shape up to pressures of 5 atm. This spectrometer has a high S/N of about 10,000 and an advantageous zero baseline. In addition, temperature effects on the line shape are studied using a newly developed temperature control scheme. The latest results are reported.