NSRDS—NBS 38

u.s. DEPARTMENT

OF

COMMERCE

National

Bureau

of

ndards

Critical Review of Ultraviolet

- Photoabsorption Cross Sections

for Molecules of Astrophysical

and Aeronomic Interest

NATL INST OF STANDARDS & TECH R.I.C.

All 101 787744

/NSRDS-NBS

QC100 .U573 V38;1971 C.1 NBS-PUB-R 1964
NATIONAL BUREAU OF STANDARDS

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SEP 2 7 1971

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UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE • Maurice H. Stans, Secretary

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U i ^,NATIONAL BUREAU OF STANDARDS, • Lewis M. Branscomb, Director

Critical Review of Ultraviolet Photoabsorption

Cross Sections for Molecules of Astrophysical and

Aeronomic Interest

R. D. Hudson

Joint Institute for Laboratory Astrophysics

University of Colorado

and

Institute for Basic Standards

National Bureau of Standards

Boulder, Colorado 80302

NSRDS

4NSRDS-NBS 38

t,

Nat. Stand. Ref. Data Ser., Nat. Bur. Stand. (U.S.), 38, 106 pages (Aug. 1971)

CODEN: NSRDA

Reprinted from

Reviews of Geophysics and Space Physics

Yol. 9, No. 2, May 1971

Issued August 1971

For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C. 20402 (Order by SD Catalog No. C13.48:38). Price $1.00

Stock Number 0303—0900
Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 71-169292
FOREWORD

The National Standard Reference Data System provides effective access to the quantitative

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with responsibility to administer it assigned to the National Bureau of Standards.

The System now comprises a complex of data centers and other activities, carried on in

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that are components of the NSRDS produce compilations of critically evaluated data, critical

reviews of the state of quantitative knowledge in specialized areas, and computations of useful

functions derived from standard reference data. In addition, the centers and projects establish

criteria for evaluation and compilation of data and make recommendations on needed improvements in experimental techniques. They are normally closely associated with active research

in the relevant field. The technical scope of the NSRDS is indicated by the principal categories of data compilation

projects now active or being planned: nuclear properties, atomic and molecular properties, solid state properties, thermodynamic and transport properties, chemical kinetics, and colloid and

surface properties.

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The NSRDS—NBS series of publications is intended primarily to include evaluated reference

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Lewis M. Branscomb, Director

in
PREFACE

The publication philosophy of the National Standard Reference Data System recognizes that data

compilations will be most useful if all available channels of publishing and disseminating the information are employed. Selection of a specific channel—Government Printing Office, a scientific journal, or a commercial publishing house—is determined by the circumstances for the individual document

concerned. The goal is to reach all of the appropriate audience most readily at minimum expense.

The critical review which follows was first published in Reviews of Geophysics and Space Physics

and is part of the JILA Information Center’s program of compilation and critical evaluation of low

energy atomic collision data. The author and editor felt that this journal would reach the intended

readers, and the Office of Standard Reference Data agreed that this channel of publication promoted

the objectives of the National Standard Reference Data System. In addition, however, all concerned

recognized that wider distribution and the capability of providing a continuing source of supply could

be afforded by prompt republication through the Government Printing Office. With the generous permission of the editors of Reviews of Geophysics and Space Physics, and the

approval of the author, the Office of Standard Reference Data has undertaken to reprint this article as a part of the National Standard Reference Data System—National Bureau of Standards series.

David R. Lide, Jr., Chief

Office of Standard Reference Data

IV
Critical Review of Ultraviolet Photoabsorption

Cross Sections for Molecules of Astrophysical and

Aeronomic Interest

R. D. Hudson1

Joint Institute for Laboratory Astrophysics

University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado 80302

This paper is devoted to a critical review of photoabsorption. cross sections for

molecules of aeronomic and astrophysical interest at wavelengths less than 3000 A. A

discussion of the relative merits of various experimental techniques is given along with

possible systematic and random errors that may be associated with them. The problems

in data analysis associated with finite spectral bandwidths are reviewed, with special

emphasis on the interpretation of published absorption cross sections. This review does

not contain a complete set of cross-section-versus-wavelength values for each molecule;

the prepared figures are used to compare the results of several determinations or to point out where difficulties of interpretation might arise. However, references to all papers believed to contain the more reliable data are given.

CONTENTS

I. Introduction 306

II. Measurement Techniques 306

A. Total Photoabsorption Cross

Sections 306

1. The Ratio Io/I 307

2. The Number Density of

the Absorbing Gas 310

3. The Length of the Absorbing Column 311

4. Conclusion 311

B. Partial Absorption Cross Sections 312

1. Photoexcitation Cross Sections N 312

2. Photodissociation Cross

Sections 312

3. Photon-Scattering Cross

Sections 313

4. Photoionization Cross Sections 313

1 Visiting Fellow 1968-1969; now at

III. Analysis of the Absorption Data 314

IV. Wavelength Errors 320

V. Interpretation and Use of Published Cross-Section Data 320

A. Effect of Finite Spectral Bandwidths 320

B. Effect of Atmospheric Temperature 325

VI. Review of Published Ultraviolet

Cross Sections 325

A. Molecular Oxygen, 02 335

B. Molecular Nitrogen, N2 348

C. Water Vapor, H2 0 354

D. Molecular Hydrogen, H2 . . . . 358

E. Carbon Monoxide, CO 360

F. Nitric Oxide, NO 365

G. Carbon Dioxide, C02 367

H. Ozone, 03 371

I. Ammonia, NH3 374

Manned Spacecraft Center, Houston, Texas.

1
2 R. D. HUDSON

J. Hydrogen Sulfide, H2S . . .

. . 376 0. Sulfur Dioxide, S02 .. 389

K. Nitrous Oxide, N20 .. 378 P. Carbonyl Sulfide, COS . . .

.. 390

L. Nitrogen Dioxide, N02 . . .. . 381 Q. Acetylene, C2H2 .. 392

M. Methane, CH4 .. 384 R,. Ethylene, C2H4 . . 395

N. Carbon Disulfide, CS2 .... . . 387 S. Ethane, C2H6. . 397

I. INTRODUCTION

In 1958, K. Watanabe published a review of ultraviolet cross sections between 2900 A and 1 A for those molecules that are major and minor constituents

of the earth’s atmosphere. His review, which coincided with just over a decade

of rocket experiments, has made an important contribution to the understanding of the basic absorption processes in the atmosphere [Watanabe, 1958]. Since

1958 there has been an extensive increase in the number of rocket and satellite

experiments to study the earth’s and planetary atmospheres, and also in the

number of spectroscopic investigations in the ultraviolet of planetary constituents.

It seems appropriate, therefore, that after a further decade of experimentation

another review should be prepared. The intention of this review is to make a

critical analysis of the available cross-section data, to assess their reliability,

and to give the reader an idea of the limitations that must be placed on the

interpretation and use of these data. Hudson and Kieffer [1970] have recently

published a complete bibliography of photoabsorption cross section data; the

references at the end of this review are to those papers that, in my opinion, contain the more reliable data.

II. MEASUREMENT TECHNIQUES

A. Total Photoabsorption Cross Sections

The total photoabsorption cross section <rT of a gas is usually defined as follows

70 (X)/7(X) = exp n<j Tl (1)

where 70 (X) and J(\) are the fluxes incident on and transmitted through the gas,

n is the concentration in particles/cubic centimeter, and l is the path length in

centimeters. In many papers the absorption coefficient, k T , is given; this is related

to the cross section by

k T = a tUq

where n0 is Loschmidt’s number (2.69 X 1019/cm3 ).

A detailed description of many of the techniques developed for quantitative

measurements of photoabsorption cross sections of gases has recently been published [Samson, 1967] and will not be explicitly dealt with in this review. Instead,

emphasis will be given to a discussion of the relative merits of these techniques

and to the systematic and random errors that may be associated with them.

As can be seen from equation 1, the parameters that must be known in order

that a total photoabsorption cross section can be determined are
PHOTOABSORPTION CROSS SECTIONS OF MOLECULES 3

1. The ratio of I0 to I. 2. The number density of the species under investigation, including the

number density of contaminant species.

3. The length of the absorbing column.

The measurement of each of these quantities will have associated with it both a systematic and a random error. The policy of most experimenters engaged in

ultraviolet measurements has been to quote a total error only; and, in general,

the exact breakdown of this total between the two modes of error is not specified.

Since the disagreement between published results is often outside these quoted

total errors, it must be assumed that some of the possible systematic errors have

been left out of these error analyses.

1. The ratio I0 /L This ratio is best determined by double-beam spectrophotometric techniques in which the intensities J0 (A) and 7(A) are measured

simultaneously. Errors arising from short-term fluctuations in I or long-term

drifts of 70 can then be eliminated. Few such measurements have been made, and

as a result the stability of the radiation source has been an important factor

affecting the accuracy of published data. Although some radiation sources have

been developed with extremely constant outputs, typical short-term fluctuations are observed varying from 2 to 5%, with long-term changes of up to 3%. The

extent to which these fluctuations can affect the final error on <rT depends on the

method of data reduction and the values of the ratio 70/7 used in the experiment. The former point will be discussed further in the next section. The latter

point is illustrated in Figure 1 where the error in <tt arising from a systematic

error in both 70 and I of 1% of 70 is shown as a function of 70/7. The error arising

from the random fluctuations in 70 and I is statistical and should, presumably,

be represented in the random errors quoted by the authors.

The two types of detectors most often used for quantitative work in the

ultraviolet are photographic emulsions and photoelectric detectors (i.e., photomultipliers and photodiodes). Emulsions have the advantage of allowing the

entire absorption spectrum to be recorded simultaneously, but they have the

disadvantage that their calibration is not simple and that the photographic

density is not a linear function of the incident photon flux. Errors in the determination of 70/7 can arise because of nonuniformity of the emulsion over the

plate or film, the failure of the reciprocity law during the calibration procedures,

incorrect development procedures, and uneven shrinkage on drying. Those experimenters who use photographic techniques usually take great care to try to

minimize these sources of error. Another cause of systematic errors in the determination of the ratio 70/7

from emulsions is scattered light within the spectrograph. In principle, the

amount of scattered light can be determined using filters; but this procedure

can be complicated in that during the intensity calibration of the emulsion the

ultraviolet radiation and the scattered radiation are both reduced by the same

amount, whereas during the experiment the intensity of the ultraviolet light is reduced, but the scattered light, which comes mainly from the visible portion

of the spectrum, is not reduced. It should be noted that the latter statement does
10

9

8

7

6

5

4

3

2

1

0

R. D. HUDSON

T

4 5 6 7 8

V1

Fig. 1. Percent error in the cross section versus h/I.
PHOTOABSORPTION CROSS SECTIONS OF MOLECULES 5

not depend on the scattering properties of gratings, but on the fact that most

light sources have their highest photon output in the visible region. The over-all

systematic error in the ratio 70/7 that could arise in photographic measurements

is difficult to assess ; but a conservative estimate for the error in J0 and 7 can be

made of ±1% of 70 , giving rise to an error in <tt (from Figure 1) of at least

±3.5%.

Both photomultipliers and photodiodes, if used properly, show a linear

response between their current output and the incident-photon flux over a wide

range of values. Most of the photomultipliers used in the determination of

absolute cross sections have windows of quartz or pyrex. The ultraviolet radiation below the window cutoff is then measured by observing, with the photomultiplier, the visible light output from a material (such as sodium salicylate)

that fluoresces on exposure to vacuum ultraviolet radiation. Thus for reliable

measurements of 70/7 one must be assured that the fluorescent efficiency of such

a material is constant with time. Changes in the fluorescent efficiency of sodium

salicylate have been noted, the usual change being a slow decrease of the

efficiency with time; but exposure to some reactive gases can decrease the effi- ciency within minutes [ Samson, 1967]. Such changes have a pronounced effect

on the determination of the ratio 70 /7, especially if the change is reversible. It

might seem that the use of simple photodiodes, which detect the photoemission

of electrons from a metallic surface, would not suffer from this difficulty. However, in the typical experiment using such devices, the metal surface has been

placed inside the absorption chamber, where it is immersed in the gas being

studied. In this situation, changes in the photoelectric yield might well arise.

Waclawskii et al. [1967; personal communication, 1969] have investigated

the effects of absorbed gases on the photoelectric yield of tungsten between 600 A

and 1600 A. The sample was cleaned, by heating under high vacuum, before

exposure to the gases, which included O2 , N2 , H2 , CO, and H2 0. They found

changes in the photoelectric yield of as much as a factor of 6, changes that were

specific for the particular gas investigated. They also found evidence that the

photoionization of the absorbate contributed to the observed yield for coverages

of the order of a monolayer. However, such effects might be smaller if the surface

were not cleaned to begin with, i.e., were already covered by a monolayer of air,

since the ambient gas would then have to replace the oxygen or nitrogen on the

surface. Of course reactive gases, or those gases that tend to stick to metals (such

as water vapor) , might easily produce a larger and reversible change in the photoelectric yield.

Three other effects can also cause systematic errors in the measurements

using photoelectric devices. These are nonlinearity in the electrometer-recorder

combination used to measure the photoelectric currents, scattered light from the

spectrograph, and fluorescent light from the absorption cell. In the papers

reviewed, accounts are seldom given of the calibration of the electrometerrecorder combination, and it is difficult to believe that this has been carried out

to any better than ±1% of full scale. The amounts of scattered light and fluorescent light can be determined by using filters. Scattered light is usually found to

be less than 2% of the incident intensity, and corrections are made for its effect.
6 R. D. HUDSON

Fluorescence is normally important only if short absorption cells are used,

where corrections as high as 10% have had to be made. If these corrections

have been made correctly, it is estimated that they should contribute less than

±0.25% to the total systematic error in 70/7. It seems likely then that the total

systematic error in the determination of 70/7 is >1.25%, implying (from Fig- ure 1) a systematic error in <rT of ±4%.

If measurements of the ratio 70 /7 are made in a spectral region where the gas

ionizes, then the double-ion-chamber method can be used. In this method two

identical ion chambers are placed in tandem, and simultaneous measurements of

the ion currents collected by the two chambers are made with the gas in the cell. The ratio of the ion currents can then be substituted for 70 /7 in equation 1, where l

is now the distance between the front of the first and the front of the second

chamber. Samson and Cairns [1964, 1965] have made extensive use of this method.

They measure the current from the two ion chambers with separate electrometers,

each calibrated to an accuracy of 1% of full scale. This implies a systematic error

of at least ±3.5% in their determination of a T . As indicated, the minimum systematic error that it seems reasonable to

assign to the measurement of <rT from the measurement of the ratio 70/7 is

±3.5%.

2. The number density of the absorbing gas. The number density of the

absorbing gas has, in almost all cases, been determined from direct measurements of the gas pressure and temperature. The temperature can be measured

accurately (to better than 1°K, i.e., 0.3%) ; however, the pressure measurement

is less certain. Most experimenters use a McLeod gage as a primary standard.

In principle this gage should be fairly accurate; some models are manufactured

to tolerances that give a stated accuracy of ±1% for the measurement of a

pressure of HL2 torr if the mercury meniscus level is read with a precision of

±0.25 mm. Contamination of the internal surfaces of the gage and the mercury

surfaces will reduce this accuracy, and a further uncertainty arises if effects

due to 'mercury pumping’ into the cold trap associated with the gage are not

minimized [Gaede, 1915; Ishii and Nakayama, 1962]. Carr [1964] has concluded

that an accuracy of 1% can be achieved with McLeod gages at pressures lower

than 0.1 torr only if the gage is baked before use, corrections are made for the

presence of the cold trap, and variable compression measurements are made with

permanent gases. Without such precautions, systematic errors as large as 10%

can be made. Most experimenters quote errors from pressure measurements of

±5%, but no distinction is usually made between systematic and random errors

in their papers.

In some experiments the pressure has been determined by observing the

attenuation of light by a gas at a wavelength for which the absorption cross section is ‘known.’ The systematic error on this determination is the sum of

the total error for the ‘known’ absorption cross section and the systematic error

in the determination of the ratio of 70/7, and it is likely to be much larger than

the error that would have been made with a McLeod gage. Larger systematic

errors must also be assigned to those experiments in which secondary standards,

such as thermocouples and ion gages, are used.
PHOTOABSORPTION CROSS SECTIONS OF MOLECULES 7

It is very important, especially when measuring small absorption cross sections, to know the number density of contaminant species, both in the absorption cell and, where applicable, in the body of the spectrograph. Experimenters

have normally taken care to use pure samples of the gas they are investigating

and to keep the spectrograph pressure below 10-5 torr; however, only a few

analyze the impurity content. A possible source of contaminants is introduced

when the absorption cell is placed between the light source and the spectrograph.

With this arrangement, the gas under investigation is irradiated by the total

undispersed flux from the source, and it is quite conceivable that large concentrations of excited species, dissociation products, or the results of the interaction of

these products with the gas under study can accumulate in the cell. These products essentially become an impurity and lower the accuracy of the final data.

The same arguments, of course, apply to those experiments in which the spectrograph is filled with the gas under study; but in this case the volume is much

larger and the equilibrium densities of excited species should be much smaller.

In summary it can be said that the pressure determination probably constitutes the most common and largest source of error in photoabsorption measurements. Possible systematic errors in this determination could be between 1 and 10%.

3. The length of the absorbing column. The length of most absorption

cells has generally been >10 cm and has been measured accurately (to better

than ± 1 mm). Difficulties can arise, however, in windowless cells when there is a net gas flow into the spectrograph through the slit, producing a pressure gradient in the cell. Most experimenters have minimized this gradient by a careful

design of their gas inlet systems, by using small slit areas, and by using absorption

cells of large cross section. Formulas are available [Dushman and Lafferty,

1962] to calculate the rate of flow of a gas through a slit, and this flow can then

be used to calculate the pressure differential in a typical absorption cell. Calculations indicate that for slit areas <100 /un by 1 cm, and for cell lengths >10 cm

X 3 cm2

, the pressure differential from one end of the cell to the other will

be less than 1%. This calculation assumes that the gas inlet is at the end

of the cell farthest from the slit; if the gas inlet is close to the slit, the

pressure differential is much less.

All experimenters but one claim to have reduced the effect of a pressure

gradient to negligible proportions. This claim is based upon laboratory experiments that compared the absorption by molecular oxygen at 1450 A in a cell that

could be used in either a windowed or a windowless configuration. Such a measurement will have associated with it both a systematic and a random error, which from previous discussions will not be less than ±5%. In none of the papers

reviewed was this additional source of error discussed.

4. Conclusion. From the discussion given above it seems reasonable to

state that the sum of the systematic errors that would be expected in the determinations of <jt is >5%. This is of the same order as the error some experimenters quote for their total error. In general, the discussions of errors in the

papers that describe measurements of ultraviolet cross sections are scanty. One

can even find some papers where no estimate of errors is given. But even where

errors are given, how does one interpret them? If a paper shows a continuous
8 R. D. HUDSON

curve of cross section versus wavelength and ascribes an error of ±5% to the

cross section, does this error refer to (1) the error on each point used to draw

the curve, (2) the spread of these points about the curve shown, or (3) the systematic error on the measurement, i.e., the fact that the whole curve could be

raised or lowered by a factor of 1.05? These questions cannot be answered by

reference to the papers alone, and this makes the task of the reviewer that much

more difficult.

It is hoped that the above remarks on errors will make experimenters cautious and will cause them to give complete and reliable estimates of both random

and systematic errors.

B. Partial Absorption Cross Sections

The processes that contribute to the total photoabsorption cross section

include photon excitation, photodissociation, photon scattering, photoionization,

dissociative ionization, etc. In turn some of these processes can leave the product

ion, molecule, or atom in several different excited states, and one may talk about

partial photoionization cross sections, etc. For the main part, absolute measurements of these partial cross sections have not been made, but rather the ratio of

these quantities to the total absorption cross section and the error to be assigned

to these partial cross sections will include the error in <jt. Thus the errors that

will be discussed in this section are those that arise in addition to those described

in the previous section.

1. Photoexcitation cross sections. Absorption measurements in the ultraviolet have been made with insufficient instrumental resolution for quantitative

determinations of photoexcitation cross sections, although measurements have

been made of oscillator strengths.

2. Photodissociation cross sections. Relatively few quantitative measurements have been made of photodissociation cross sections in the ultraviolet below

3000 A. Those that have been made have been limited to a few discrete wavelengths above 1100 A. The available data up to 1964 were reviewed by McNesby

and Okabe [1964], and the reader is referred to their paper for details. Photodissociation is measured in terms of the quantum yield, <£, where _ number of particles produced

number of photons absorbed

The photodissociation cross section <xD is related to $ by

<J D — $(Jt

The number of particles produced is usually determined from chemical

analysis, and the flux of incident photons is determined by an absolute calibration technique. Typical errors for 4> quoted in the literature vary between 10

and 20%.

Apart from these isolated measurements photodissociation continua have

been simply inferred from the shapes of absorption continua, or, where there is band structure, by connecting the minimum cross sections with a smooth curve. In section 5 it will be shown that this is not usually a valid procedure.
PHOTOABSORPTION CROSS SECTIONS OF MOLECULES 9

3. Photon-scattering cross sections. Photon scattering occurs in all gases

at all wavelengths. Few absolute measurements of scattering cross sections exist

for molecules at wavelengths shorter than 2000 A. However, the relative measurements that are available, together with those values obtained from both

theoretical calculations and empirical extrapolations of refractive index measurements, indicate that these cross sections are typically of the order of 10~24 cm2 at 1200 A, i.e., about 6 orders of magnitude smaller than most photoexcitation, dissociation, and ionization cross sections. The contribution of scattering

to the total attenuation cross section can therefore be neglected except in the

neighborhood of resonance lines and possibly in gases at high pressures where

quasi-molecules might exist.

4. Photoionization cross sections. Many measurements of photoionization

cross sections have been reported, but most of these involve the determination of a quantity, 77, the photoionization yield. The photoionization cross section 0-* is then given by

<Ti = 7}(J t where 77 is defined as the number of ions formed per absorbed photon.

The determination of 77 depends on measurements of the number of ions

produced and of the absolute photon flux. For wavelengths below 1023 A, the

absolute flux is usually determined by measuring the ion current produced in a noble gas, whose photoionization yield is assumed to be 1. In some experiments, this technique has been used to calibrate a secondary standard, such as a piece of platinum; however, this calibration has an error associated with it,

typically of ±15%. For wavelengths above 1023 A, calibrated thermopiles are used to determine the absolute flux at a few wavelengths, and these are used to

calibrate a secondary standard such as sodium salicylate, whose quantum effi- ciency is assumed to vary slowly with wavelength. It has been estimated [Hinteregger, 1965] that the absolute calibration of such systems is usually no better

than ±20%.

Other experimenters have measured 77 by totally absorbing the incident radiation first in the gas being investigated and then in a noble gas. The yield 77 is

then given by the ratio of the ion currents. Great care has to be taken to ascer- tain that all of the ions formed are collected, that no electrons reach the ion

collector, that photons cannot strike the ion collector and hence cause spurious

currents, and that the collection voltage is such that electrons produced in the

photoionization process cannot produce more ions in the gas. The total error quoted for the measurement of 77 by this process is usually ±5%. In view of the

fact that these measurements do not involve a pressure determination, most of

this quoted error must arise from the systematic error in the measurement of

the ratio of the ion currents.

It will be found that 77 is also referred to (in literature in this field) as the

photoionization efficiency; however, one must be careful to distinguish between

77 and the quantity, photoionization efficiency (PE) , as used in papers reporting

mass spectrometric measurements. In this case the definition of PE is
10 R. D. HUDSON

numbers of ions produced/sec

Jr -Hj — 7 ~ flux in transmittedphotons/sec

In these measurements the amount of absorption is small (less than 1%) and

thus from equation 1

PE) =

jr»(x)- w '^‘ <r

.<(x) = riltJiQC)

*o(A)

Thus, the determination of PE will provide a direct determination of the partial

photoionization cross section for a particular ion if the product nl is known and

if the collection and detection efficiencies of the mass spectrometer are known.

They seldom are. Consequently, most experimenters publish relative values of PE,

i.e., relative partial photoionization cross sections. The accuracy of these values

depends on the method used to determine the absolute or relative photon flux, and

also on the kinetic energy of the photoionization products (e.g., in dissociative

ionization), as this could alter the collection efficiency of the mass spectrometer.

For this reason it is difficult to estimate quantitative systematic errors for these

determinations.

In recent years, considerable progress has been made in the study of the

states of excitation of ions produced by photoionization. This study is generally

accomplished by measuring the kinetic energies of the charged particles or by

studying the fluorescence, if any, of the ions. These techniques, with a discussion

of the possible sources of error, have recently been presented in a review by

R. I. Schoen [1969].

III. ANALYSIS OF THE ABSORPTION DATA

The area that has probably received least attention in the derivation of ac- curate absorption cross sections has been that of data reduction. One of the most

significant questions regards the use of equation 1 in reducing absorption data,

or alternatively, the physical significance of the quantity <rT in equation 1. The

term ‘physical significance’ should be stressed, since any spectrograph that is

used in absorption studies has a finite spectral bandwidth, and, as a consequence,

the quantity <t that is measured is not necessarily a physical quantity, but in

general represents a number that is not only characteristic of the atom or the

molecule that is being studied, but is also characteristic of the instrument that

was used in the experiment.

Let the flux incident on an absorption cell from the exit slit of a monochromator be defined as A0 , and the flux transmitted through the cell be defined

as A. A0 is a function of the wavelength at the center of the bandwidth, A', and

the bandwidth of the instrument, AA, and is given by

/»X' + AX A0 (X' , AA) = / S(\)G{A) • T{A) • d\ (2)

" X' — AX In this equation, S (A) is the source function, that is, the flux that is incident on

the entrance slit of the monochromator, G(A) is the slit function, and T(A) is
PHOTOABSORPTION CROSS SECTIONS OF MOLECULES 1

the transmission function of the monochromator. In general, T{A) is a slowly

varying function of the wavelength and can be taken outside the integral.

The transmitted intensity, A, is then given by

A(X', AX, N) = f

X' + AX

X'-AX

S(\)G(X)-T(A) -exp [-iWr (\)] d\

where N = nl. The ratio of A0 /

is given by

A0 (X

/

, AX)

A(X', AX, N)

/»X ? + A X

/ *S(X)-G

T (X)

J AX d\

[

S(k) • G(\) • exp [— iWr (X)] d\

(3)

(4)

It can be seen that the <j t of equation 1 will only be equal to o- T (X

r ), the cross section at the center of the bandwidth, if cr T (\) is a constant over the bandwidth.

As in general this is not the case, the cross section that is obtained from equation 1 will be an average cross section, and hence it is better to replace the <j t in

equation 1 bjr the quantity a T , where ~ = exp NdT {\', AX, N, S(X), G(X), /MX)]} (5)

and /[<r r (X)] is the functional form of aT versus wavelength.

The particular considerations discussed above apply especially where there

is band structure in the absorption spectrum of a molecule. To interpret the cross- section data that have been published, some relationship must be found between

a T and a- r (X'), and for this one needs to know S(\), G(X), and /[o- r (X)]. G(X) depends

only on the slit width and the diffraction grating parameters, but because many

instruments apparently have not been properly focused, the calculation of G(X)

from the information given in the pertinent literature is difficult. For most ultraviolet measurements the wavelength of the incident radiation is much less than

the slit width, and thus if a spectrometer is w^ell-focused, with exit and entrance

slits of equal width, the shape of G(X) versus X will be triangular. If unequal slit

widths are used, then the shape becomes trapezoidal.

Figure 2 showrs values of ln(A 0 /A) calculated from equation 4, versus iW(X'),

at the peak of an isolated line with a Lorentz line shape, assuming a continuum

light source (S(\) = constant) and a triangular slit function. There are several

plots shown, each one corresponding to a different value of a parameter, a, wffiere

a = AX/ AL (6)

AL is the Lorentz line width (full halfwidth). If o- r (X', AX, N) were equal to a T (\'), then a straight-line plot w

r ould be obtained with a slope of 1.0. For a less

than 1.0, plots of ln(A0 /A) versus No-(\') are linear to within ±0.5%, but the

slopes are all less than 1. For a greater than 2.0, the plots deviate from a straight

line, and the cross section as calculated from equation 1 w

rould decrease as N is increased. The dependence of a T on N is quite wrell known in the literature in

this field, where it is referred to as

1 apparent pressure effect/ ‘pressure dependence/

etc. It should be noted, however, that d T depends on the column density rather
12 R. D. HUDSON

Fig. 2. Calculated values of In A0/A versus Ncr(\') for four values of

a(a = AX/AL) assuming a Lorentz line shape.

than the pressure, i.e., the curves shown in Figure 2 depend on the product nl,

not on n. Thus the use of the term ‘pressure dependence’ is unfortunate, especially

since there are situations where d T is also a function of n, for example, in the

pressure broadening of rotational lines.

Values of d T , at peaks, are treated in two ways in related published work.

If d T is found to be independent of N, within the random errors of each measurement, e.g., the curves for a < 1 in Figure 1, then the published cross section is either obtained by averaging the cross sections calculated at various values of N,

or from a plot of lnA 0 /A versus N, which is then known as a Beer’s law plot. If a T is dependent on N, then the value given is the cross section obtained by extrapolating curves of d T versus N to ‘zero pressure,’ i.e., N = 0. Essentially then,

both methods of data reduction give the value of a T as N —> 0, and for this condition, it can be shown that

/• X

f + A X d T (y, AX) = / <S(X) • G(\) • <r(X) d\

A'-ax

(7)
PHOTOABSORPTION CROSS SECTIONS OF MOLECULES 13

A word of caution should be introduced at this time against placing too

much reliance on the values of a T obtained by extrapolating curves of a T versus N to ‘zero pressure.’ As has been shown in Figure 1, errors in a T arising from

the determination of the ratio A0/A become very large as this ratio approaches

1, i.e., as N approaches 0. Thus the extrapolation, of necessity, gives most weight

to the least accurate data, and any slight systematic error in A0 or A will cause

a large systematic error in the determination of a T . If the calculation that was made above assuming Lorentz line shapes and a triangular slit function is now repeated using equation 7, one can obtain the ratio

of <x r (X', AX) to o-(X'). This ratio is plotted in Figure 3 versus the ratio a. As in

the previous case (see Figure 2), the ratio approaches 1 for small values of a, but even for a = 1, i.e., when the line width is equal to the bandwidth, the value

of the ratio is only 0.7. Thus the published absorption cross section for a line

having a = 1, for which ‘Beer’s Law’ would have been obeyed, is in error by at

least 40%, an error which is far outside most quoted experimental errors. The calculations discussed above were made for a well-focused instrument

with equal exit and entrance slit widths. As has been intimated earlier, this is

not always the case; and one can postulate that, although groups may quote the

same spectral bandwidth, their slit functions may be different. To illustrate the

effect of the slit function on measured cross section, Table 1 compares the ratio

of <t(X', AX) to cr(X

/ ) obtained from equation 7 for Lorentz line shapes, for triangular

and rectangular slit functions.

The same arguments that have been applied above to the absorption at the

peaks of lines are equally applicable to the minima between lines. In this case,

however, the value of <r(X', AX) will be larger than cr(X'). A discussion of the ratio

between these two quantities for a triangular slit function is given by Hudson

and Carter [1968a].

To illustrate this ‘averaging effect’ of a finite spectral bandwidth, measured

cross sections obtained by three groups for the first autoionization line of argon

at 786.5 A have been plotted in Figure 4. The values published by Huffman et al. [1963a] and by Metzger and Cook [1965] were obtained at a stated bandwidth

of 0.5 A, whereas the data of Hudson and Carter [1968a] were obtained at 0.038

A. These three sets of data have been normalized at a point in the continuum

where o-(X') is constant, i.e., where the measured <t(X', AX) should be independent of G(\) and AX. That this normalization procedure is reasonable can be

Fig. 3. Calculated values of a(\f

, A\)/<r(\'),

for a Lorentz line shape and a triangular

slit function, versus the ratio of the bandwidth to the Lorentz line width.
14 R. D. HUDSON

TABLE 1. Ratio of 5-(X', AX) to o-(X') for Triangular and Rectangular Slit Functions

a = W/XIj

v(\'y AX)o-(X') for Triangular Slit Function

a-(X', AX)o-(X') for Rectangular Slit Function

0.2 0.975 0.987

0.4 0.914 0.951

0.6 0.841 0.901

0.8 0.769 0.843

1.0 0.705 0.785

1.2 0.648 0.730

1.4 0.599 0.679

1.6 0.556 0.633

1.8 0.519 0.591

2.0 0.486 0.554

seen if one examines the spectrum at 785.7 A, where the cross section obtained at

the highest resolution is varying linearly with wavelength. It can be shown that

for this situation the average cross section obtained will be within a few percent

of the value of <j(\') [Hudson and Carter, 1968a], and the fact that all three curves meet at this point is indicative that the normalization procedure was a valid one. One thing that can be noted immediately is that the curves of Huffman et at. [1963a] and Metzger and Cook [1965] show different line shapes and peak absorption

cross sections even though both measurements were made with instruments having

the same quoted spectral bandwidth.

Both of these groups give details of their spectrometers and the slit widths

that were used, and hence one can obtain the theoretical bandwidths for their

instruments. The theoretical bandwidth for Huffman et al. is 0.38 A, and that

for Metzger and Cook is 0.54 A. Huffman (personal communication, 1969) states

that the difference between the theoretical value of 0.38 and the measured value of

0.50 for his instrument was due to slight misalignment of the spectrograph ; thus,

one would expect the slit function to be trapezoidal. The slit function of

Metzger and Cook is probably triangular. Figure 5 compares the measured line

shapes of Huffman et al. and Metzger and Cook with theoretical calculations

obtained from equation 7 using the line shape obtained by Hudson and Carter

and the slit functions shown in Figure 5. The agreement between the measured

and theoretical line shapes is good, illustrating the need for accurate slit functions before an attempt is made to compare peak absorption cross sections

obtained by different groups.

The arguments made above leave no doubt that the cross sections obtained

at 0.038 A give the closest estimate of the physical line shape for the particular

transition in argon; and, indeed, the shape that is obtained does agree well with

recent theoretical calculations by Mendez [1968]. The line shapes obtained at

wider bandwidths will be correct, to within the quoted errors, for the particular

slit function and bandwidth used in the experiment, and if a spectrometer with

the same slit function and bandwidth is employed, then the attenuation by argon

of a continuum light source can be calculated by using these quoted cross sec- tions in equation 1. But it should be noted that in order to use these data, one
PHOTOABSORPTION CROSS SECTIONS OF MOLECULES 15

Fig. 4. Experimental line shape for the

transition from the ground state to the

(3s)

2 (3p)

E2

Pi/a 9d state of argon; solid line,

Hudson and Carter [1968a]; dotted line,

Metzger and Cook [1965] ; dashed line,

Huffman et al. [1963a].

Fig. 5. Comparison of experimental line

shapes for the autoionization line at 786.5 A,

versus calculated points assuming slit functions shown above; dashed line, Huffman

et al. [1963a] ; solid line, Metzger and Cook

[1965].

has to specify the instrument; that is, the cross section that has been published

is as much a function of the spectrometer as it is of the argon atom. Provided

one understands this limitation, one can use these low-resolution data. But, if,

for example, one wishes to know the attenuation of an emission line centered

at the peak of the argon absorption line, then the poor-resolution data will

yield the wrong result. The application of these arguments to the absorption of

solar line emission by atmospheric molecules must be quite apparent.

The above arguments regarding the bandwidth dependence of the total

absorption cross sections will apply equally well to measured ionization cross

sections. For an instrument of finite bandwidth, an average quantity N, AX)

can be defined, which, from the definition of the photoionization yield 77, will

be given by

r*\ 9 + A X

/ S(\)G(\) 77 (A) {1 — exp [— NaT (\)]} d\

7?(X , N, AX) = /*x'

ax (8)

/ S(\)G(\) {

- exp [-NaT (X)]} d\

J\'~ AX and this quantity can be a function of N, AX, S(\), and G(A). Thus the measured

ionization cross section ^(X', AX, N), given by

a t (X', AX, N) = 77(X', N, AX) • <Tr(X

/

, N, AX)

can also be a function of AX, N, 5(X), and G(x).

(9)
16 R. D. HUDSON

Similarly

*X' + AX /

*X' + AX PE (X', AX) = N / £(X)G(XK(X) d\ / / S(\)G(k) d\ (10)

and the published values of PE will also be subject to a bandwidth dependence.

One is, therefore, presented with a considerable problem when trying to

compare values obtained by different authors for cross sections obtained at

peaks and minima, for not only does one have to compare the quoted systematic

errors arising from the experimental procedures, but one must also estimate, if possible, the systematic errors that might arise from bandwidth considerations.

The situation is further complicated when experimenters use the same instrumental bandwidth but not the same functional form for G{\). In many cases such a comparison appears to be unfruitful. One thing evident from this analysis

is that, in the vicinity of bands, errors from the data analysis alone can be

much greater than any other systematic error. To the reviewer it seems clear that the terms ‘atomic cross section’ and

‘molecular cross section,’ from their definitions, should apply to cross sections

that are characteristic of the atom or molecule only, and that cross sections

that are also characteristic of the measuring instrument should not be referred to

as atomic or molecular. The reviewer feels that both editors and referees should

insist in the future that experimenters demonstrate that the cross sections in

their papers do indeed have physical significance.

IV. WAVELENGTH ERRORS

The solar emission spectrum below 1600 A consists principally of sharp

lines. To calculate attenuation profiles for these lines the wavelengths of the

absorption features must be known accurately (the accuracy needed will depend

on the widths of the emission lines). Typical accuracies quoted for the wavelengths of absorption features in the papers reviewed varied from 0.1 to 0.5 A.

It is difficult to ascertain the exact nature of this error, for one effect of

poor-resolution studies is to shift the peaks of asymmetric features to shorter

or longer wavelengths (see, for example, Figures 4 and 5). Thus there need be

no exact correlation between the wavelengths of bandheads, etc., which have

been obtained from high-resolution photographic studies, and the wavelengths

obtained from the absorption cross section measurements.

V. INTERPRETATION AND USE OF PUBLISHED CROSS

SECTION DATA

A. Effect of Finite Spectral Bandwidths

The averaging effect of instrumental bandwidths discussed in the previous

section plays an important role in the interpretation that many experimenters

place on measured absorption curves. To illustrate this point, Figure 6 shows

results obtained by Huffman et al. [19645] at wavelengths shorter than the

ionization edge of carbon monoxide. It should be stressed that these data are used because they represent one of the few examples of experimenters’ giving
PHOTOABSORPTION CROSS SECTIONS OF MOLECULES 17

detailed experimental results. Included are results that were obtained at four

different pressures, indicating the reproducibility of the results.

Figure 6 is typically interpreted as showing bands overlying a continuum.

If one assumes such a continuum and assumes that the bands have a Lorentz

profile, then a theoretical fit to the experimental data can be made, as is shown

in Figure 7a. This figure contains two curves; the top curve is of <r(A'), the bottom that of <r (A', AX), assuming the bandwidth of 0.5 A quoted by Huffman et al. and a triangular slit function. The crosses on the bottom curve are the experimental

data. However, another possible interpretation of the experimental curve is that

it is made up entirely of overlapping bands and that there is no continuum. A

theoretical fit can be made using this assumption, and the curves of o-(X') and

<j (A', AA) are shown in Figure 7b. The fit to the experimental results is also good.

Thus there are at least two interpretations of the same experimental result,

which lead to quite different curves of o-(A') versus A'. From the nature of the

solutions obtained one can, of course, postulate that many more interpretations

can be made ranging between the two. Clearly, the use of insufficient resolution

has not yielded a unique answer; and in order to distinguish between these

interpretations, one needs additional information. Usually, the only additional

information that exists is that energetically an ionization continuum is possible,

a fact that is often quoted to support the assumption of a continuum overlaid

by bands. But the fact that a continuum is energetically possible does not necessarily mean that it need be measurable, since the extent and intensity of the

continuum must depend upon the relative transition probabilities between the

Fig. 6. Measured absorption cross section for carbon monoxide between 782 and 801 A.

Taken directly from paper by Huffman et al. [19645] except for label change on ordinate.
18 R. D. HUDSON

Fig. 7. Comparison of theoretical fit and measured absorption cross section for CO between

782 and 801 A. The curves shown in Fig. 7a assume bands overlying a continuum; those in

Fig. 7b assume bands only. The crosses are the experimental data of Huffman et al. [1064b].

upper and lower states. Until that has been calculated, one can draw no conclusions about an underlying ionization continuum. An example where lines

without an accompanying continuum have been measured is available in the

autoionization spectrum of barium and strontium [Hudson et al., 1969].

This double interpretation that one can place on experimental absorption

cross sections in the vicinity of bands is also illustrated in Figure 8. This figure

shows the absorption spectrum of sulphur dioxide (S02 ) obtained by Warneck

et al. [1964]. It should be noted that the parameter plotted was labeled absorption intensity, not molecular cross section. This label was chosen as the authors

realized that the cross sections they obtained would be bandwidth-dependent. It

is a pity that this nomenclature was not adopted by other experimenters. The

authors show two apparent continua; the first extends from 1700 to 2350 A and

the second from 2350 to about 3100 A. There is, in this interval, a theoretical

dissociation limit at 2280 A that is associated with the process

S02 + hv —> SO -f- 0(

3 P) (11)

The authors conclude that the continuum above 2280 is not compatible with
PHOTOABSORPTION CROSS SECTIONS OF MOLECULES 19

any known dissociation energy of S02 . Thus, although it gives the appearance

of a continuum, it must really be due to 'the restrictive spectral resolution used

in the experiment and the effect of considerable overlapping of the individual

bands.’ However, they also conclude that the apparent continuum below 2280

A is a true continuum. Yet the measured absorption spectrum at 3000 A and

that around 2100 A are sufficiently similar that if one can postulate that the

3000 A continuum is not real, then one must postulate that the continuum below

2280 A need not be real. This is not to say that dissociation does not take place

dissociation might then be due to predissociation of the overlapping bands

with a consequent broadening of the rotational lines that will accentuate the

appearance of an apparent continuum. Predissociation in band absorption

d

WAVELENGTH f\

WAVELENGTH, A

Fig. 8. Absorption intensities of S02 between 2000 and 3100 taken from Warneck et al. [1964].
20 R. D. HUDSON

Fig. 9. Theoretical Ao/A versus Nf for AZ/s of

(1) 0.121, cm"1

, (2) 0294 cm^, (3) 0.63 cm'1

, (4)

1.3 cm"1

, (5) 1.9 cm-4

, (6) 2.3 cm-1

, and (7) 3.1 cm"1

. Taken from Hudson and Carter [19686].

rather than dissociation through a continuum will, in many cases, alter the final

energy state of the dissociated product ; and in studies of planetary atmospheres,

a knowledge of these energy states is important in the calculation of equilibrium

conditions.

Another area in which an understanding of bandwidth effects can alter the

interpretation of data is in attempts to infer the relative intensities of bands

by their peak absorption cross sections. Figure 9, taken from a recent paper by

Hudson and Carter [19686], shows calculations made for their particular spectrograph, of In Ao/A versus Nf (/ is the oscillator strength of the line) for lines

having a Voigt profile. Each curve corresponds to a different line width, with

curve 1 corresponding to a pure Doppler broadened line. It is immediately

apparent that the same value of In A0/A can be obtained over a wide range of

oscillator strengths, if the line width is allowed to vary.

A common phenomenon in molecular spectroscopy is to find a Rydberg

series ending on an excited state of the ion. Frequently this phenomenon is

accompanied by an apparent increase in the intensity of the series as it crosses the first ionization edge. However, exactly the same effect would be produced

if the rotational lines of the Rydberg bands became wider as they crossed the

limit, i.e., if the Rydberg series became preionized. With reference to Figure 9,

such an effect would correspond to moving along curve 1 toward the origin and

at a given value of Nf moving up to one of the other curves, thus suddenly

increasing the peak value of In Io/I.

In summary then, anyone attempting to use ultraviolet absorption cross sections should realize that there are limits that can be placed on the use of

the data, and that the interpretations that experimenters have made about their
PHOTOABSORPTION CROSS SECTIONS OF MOLECULES 21

published curves need not necessarily be the only interpretations. In section VI

of this review, such limits will be discussed for the individual molecules.

B. Effect of Atmospheric Temperature

It should be stressed that, apart from one measurement on molecular oxygen

[Hudson et al., 1966], the cross sections that will be discussed in this review

have been obtained at room temperature (300°K), whereas the temperature of

planetary atmospheres can vary between 100 and 2000°K. Thus even if the cross- section data were obtained with sufficient resolution to give band profiles that

were independent of bandwidth, the question still arises about the applicability

of these data to calculations of atmospheric attenuation profiles.

The tendency in most papers that report calculations of these attenuation

profiles has been to ignore the effect of temperature. With our present knowledge

of band profiles for atmospheric species perhaps this is justified, but one sometimes wonders whether the reasoning behind the neglect is not that at 1000°K

only 5 to 10% of the molecules are in the first excited vibrational state and thus

one should, at most, expect a 5 to 10% change in the molecular absorption profile. That this reasoning is not necessarily correct is illustrated in Figure 10,

which is taken from a recent paper by Hudson and Carter [19686]. The figure

shows absorption profiles for molecular oxygen in the Schumann-Runge system

at three temperatures, 300, 600, and 900°K. The column density N was a constant at each temperature. At 600°K only 2% of the oxygen molecules are in

the first vibrational level, yet one is obviously seeing much more than a 2%

effect. The reason is that the transition probabilities for the V" = 1 transitions are much larger than for the V" — 0 transitions. Unfortunately this strong V"

dependence tends to mask the change in the shape of each band due to changes

in the rotational population.

VI. REVIEW OF PUBLISHED ULTRAVIOLET CROSS SECTIONS

In preparing this review all papers that are listed in the bibliography published by Hudson and Kieffer [1970] have been considered by the reviewer.

Therefore this review should be current up to October 1969.

Except in a few isolated cases, published ionization cross sections are not

reviewed. It was felt that because aT and rj are the fundamental quantities measured, it was more meaningful to compare these quantities than the derived

quantity o-^. This has meant that in some instances the reviewer has had to convert values of o-* back to values for rj. This review does not contain a complete

set of cross-section-versus-w^velength values for each molecule. The prepared

figures are used solely to compare the results of several determinations or to

point out to the reader where difficulties of interpretation might arise.

Table 2 lists those papers from which cross-section data were taken for

this review. As well as listing the authors and the species studied, the table contains a summary of the experimental techniques, including the pressure measurement, the instrumental bandwidth, and the author’s estimate of the experimental

errors. It will be noted that there are many blanks under the column headings.

The reader may assume that where such a blank occurs, no account of the mea-
22 R. D. HUDSON

300° K

RR P,R RR RR RR PR RR RR RR RR R P R P

19,21 17,19 15,17 13,15 11,13 9,11 7,9 5,7 3,5 1,3 27 25 25 23

WAVELENGTH, A

Fig. 10. Absorption by molecular oxygen between 1878 and 1894 A at 300, 600, and 900° K.

Taken from Hudson and Carter [196861.
Pressure

Bandwidth,

Authors

Species

Experimental

Arrangements

Measurement

A

Errors

Remarks

PHOTOABSORPTION CROSS SECTIONS OF MOLECULES 23

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PHOTOABSORPTION CROSS SECTIONS OF MOLECULES 31

surement or error was given in the paper. Where the authors have referred to a previous paper, the latter has been used to fill in the appropriate column.

Whenever possible, additional papers that contain photographs of the absorption

spectra under review have been referred to in the text.

Most of the figures shown in this review were prepared by the Information

Center at the Joint Institute for Laboratory Astrophysics. Almost all of the

data reproduced in these figures were presented in the original literature in

graphical form. In this case blown-up photographs of the figures were made,

and the data were digitized by means of a Gerber data-reduction system. Once

the digitized data had been obtained they were permanently stored on magnetic

tape. The review figures were then photocomposed from these tapes on a DD280

cathode ray tube display.

A. Molecular Oxygen, 02 The absorption spectrum of molecular oxygen between 1750 and 2600 A

is characterized by the absorption bands of the Schumann-Runge system (R3 S«“ -» X3 2<7-

) between 1750 and 2000 A and the weak Herzberg dissociation con- tinuum (A3 2«

+ -> , which, according to the theoretical calculations of

Jarmain and Nicholls [1967], extends from 1850 to 2600 A. The absorption cross section for this continuum is of the order of 1CF23 cm2

, and consequently long

path lengths and pressures of the order of 1 atmosphere are necessary for measurable absorption. Under these conditions the total column density of 02 can

be measured to an accuracy of better than ±1%. However, impurities such as ozone (arising from the interaction of the product atoms with the molecular

oxygen) will now play an important role in the accuracy of the measurements.

The continuum has been investigated by two groups: Ditchbum and Young

[1962] and Blake et al. [1966]. Ditchburn and Young used photographic detection and placed the absorption cell between the spectrograph and the light source. Path lengths of 5, 10, and 30 meters were used with pressures varying from 0.2

to 5 atmospheres. Great care was taken to insure that ozone was not formed in

the absorption cell. As is pointed out by Ditchburn and Young, the fact that

they see little absorption at 2500 A, where the ozone absorption cross section is

at its maximum, would seem to indicate that the formation of ozone was not a problem in their experiment. The data of Blake et al. were obtained with a monochromator. They placed the absorption cell at the exit slit and used pressures ranging from 1 to 2 atmospheres. The results obtained by these two groups

are compared in Figure 11, from which it can be seen that those of Blake et al. are 10 to 15% higher than those of Ditchburn and Young.

Both groups found that their measured cross sections increased linearly

with pressure, a fact which they attributed to the formation of 04 at the high

pressures employed. In the wavelength interval between 2000 and 2040 A the

strength of the Schumann-Runge bands corresponding to transitions from V" —

1, 2, and 3 is weak, but nevertheless does contribute significantly to the total

absorption cross section. Figure 12 shows a theoretical plot of the absorption

cross section, averaged over 1-A intervals, that arises from these transitions at zero optical depth, for the wavelength interval 2000 to 2100 A. The plot was
32 R. D. HUDSON

Fig. 11. Comparison of measured total absorption cross sections for 02 between 2000 and

2500 A; +, Ditchbum and Young [1962] ; X, Blake et al. [1966].

obtained using the oscillator strengths for the V" = 0 bands of Bethke [1959]

and the relative Franck-Condon factors for the other bands of Jarmain and

Nicholls (personal communication, 1967) . The cross sections at 2000 A obtained by

Ditchburn and Young and by Blake et al. vary from 1.2 X 10~23 at zero pressure

(i.e., after extrapolating their measured cross sections to zero pressure) to 4 X

10-23 at a pressure of 2 atmospheres. Although the bands cannot account for the

total measured absorption cross section, they do account for most of it; and the

observed pressure effect is characteristic of pressure broadening of rotational

lines. Thus the shape and magnitude of the Herzberg continuum must be considered in doubt at this time.

Absorption cross sections in the region of the Schumann-Runge bands,

1750-1950 A, have been obtained by Blake et al. [1966], Thompson et al. [1963],

and Watanabe et al. [1953a] at an instrumental bandwidth of 1 A. High-resolution spectra of these bands [Brix and Herzberg, 1954; Knauss and Ballard, 1935;

and Hudson and Carter, 19686] have shown that the region consists of wellseparated rotational lines, and therefore the data of these former three groups

can at best be considered qualitative. The oscillator strengths for these bands,

in absorption, have been obtained by Bethke [1959] and confirmed recently by

Hudson and Carter [19686]. The latter paper also reviews the evidence for

predissociation in these bands.

The wavelength interval between 1750 and 1250 A consists of the strong
PHOTOABSORPTION CROSS SECTIONS OF MOLECULES 33

Schumann-Runge dissociation continuum -> Xs %g~) and three diffuse

bands or continua that are situated at about 1352, 1332, and 1293 A [Tanaka,

1952]. More than 10 measurements have been made in the Schumann-Runge

continuum, using both photographic and photoelectric techniques. Until recently,

there has been a constant discrepancy between the cross sections obtained by

these two techniques. The discrepancy has, in part, been ascribed by either side

to the differences in the means used to correct for scattered light, but it is also

significant that until the recent work by Goldstein and Mastrup [1966] the photographic measurements have placed the absorption cell between the light source and the spectrograph. (See previous discussion.) Goldstein and Mastrup filled

the spectrograph with the gas, which would be expected to produce less excited

species or ozone in the absorption path ; and their measurements are in essential

Fig. 12. Estimate of the contribution of the Schumann-Runge bands to the

total absorption by 02 near 2000 A.
34 R. D. HUDSON

agreement with those obtained using photoelectric techniques. Figure 13 compares the photoelectric measurements of Huffman et al. [1964c] Watanabe et al. [1953a], Blake et al. [1966], and Metzger and Cook [19645] with that of Goldstein and Mastrup, between 1350 and 1550 A.

As can be seen from Figure 13, these groups agree well within their quoted

experimental errors at the peak of the absorption curve at 1440 A, while at 1500 A

the spread of the results is outside the quoted errors. But the most significant

feature of this figure is that it indicates the different shapes that these groups

obtained for the Schumann-Runge continuum. If other measurements by other

groups are included, then further discrepancies from one group to the next in

the over-all shape of this particular transition can be found. Perhaps this discrepancy between these groups illustrates the problems that exist in absorption

spectroscopy in the ultraviolet even where the systematic errors due to data

analysis should be at a minimum.

Measurements of the Schumann-Runge continuum between 1800 and 1600

A are displayed in Figures 14 and 15. An additional paper, Hudson et al. [1966],

is displayed along with those of Watanabe et al. [1953a], Blake et al., and

Metzger and Cook. The resolution used by Hudson et al. for wavelengths below

1750 A was 0.75 A; for wavelengths above 1750 A a resolution of 0.075 A was

used in order that the continuum could be measured between the rotational lines

WAVELENGTH j A

Fig. 13. Comparison of measured total absorption cross sections for Oa between 1350 and

1550 A; dot, Watanabe et al. [1953a]; boxed dot, Blake et al. [1966] ; -f, Metzger and Cook

[19646] ; circled dot, Huffman et al. [1964] ; x, Goldstein and Mastrup [1966].
PHOTOABSORPTION CROSS SECTIONS OF MOLECULES 35

of the Schumann-Runge band system. This paper presents cross sections obtained

at 300, 600, and 900 °K, although only the results obtained at 300°K are shown

in Figures 14 and 15. The authors found a marked change in the absorption cross section as a function of temperature, indicating that the transition probabilities

to the continuum from excited vibrational levels of the ground state are considerably higher than that from the ground vibrational state. Agreement between

the results of Watanabe et al. [1953a] and Hudson et al. [1966] is extremely

good over this entire wavelength interval, being within ±3%, well within the

quoted errors of both experiments. The results of Metzger et al. are, in general,

higher than those obtained by these two groups. In summary, it may be said

that the cross section in the Schumann-Runge continuum between 1370 and 1800

A is probably known to within ±5% (excluding systematic errors), but that

the shape of this continuum is not well known.

Figure 16 presents results obtained by Blake et al., Watanabe et al. [1953a],

and Metzger and Cook between 1300 and 1370 A. This region includes three

apparent continua centered at 1352, 1332, and 1293 A. High-resolution spectrograms taken by Tanaka [1952] show diffuse band structure in this wavelength

interval, indicating that these continua could be the result of band overlap. The

band centered at 1352 A has been associated with a dissociation process in

molecular oxygen leading to two oxygen atoms, both of which are in 1D states.

Fig. 14. Comparison of measured total absorption cross sections of 02 between 1700 and 1770

A; +, Watanabe et al. [1953a] ; X, Blake et al. [1966]; circled dot, Hudson et al. [1966].
36 R. D. HUDSON

Fig. 15. Comparison of measured total absorption cross section data for 02 between 1600

and 1700 A; +, Watanabe, Inn, and Zelikoff [1953]; X, Blake et al. [1966]; circled dot,

Metzger and Cook [19645] ; boxed dot, Hudson et al. [1966].

Of the other two weaker continua, at least one is thought to result in dissociation products of one normal oxygen atom and one metastable atom in the XS

state. If these three structures are due to the overlap of diffuse bands, and the

diffuseness is due to predissociation, it would seem that, as yet, no definite conclusion can be reached about the final state of the dissociation products. It will

be noticed in Figure 16 that although the three measurements agree well for the

continuum centered at 1332 A, there is disagreement around 1350 A. The disagreement is disturbing, since both Blake et al. and Metzger and Cook used

continuum light sources, and one should expect reasonable agreement in the

over-all shape of the absorption curve at this particular point. At the present

moment, the disagreement is well outside the mutual experimental errors of

these three groups.

The spectral region between 1025 A and 1300 A has been investigated in

detail by Watanabe et al. [1953a] and Watanabe [1958], and at isolated points,

namely at band minima and band maxima, by Metzger and Cook [19646]. The

absorption spectrum in this wavelength interval consists of a complexity of

absorption bands with the possibility of a weak underlying continuum. The

bands show structure under high resolution [see Tanaka, 1952; Alberti et al.,

1968], but the bands are diffuse, and the absorption cross sections measured

have been found to be independent of N. As discussed previously, this does not
PHOTOABSORPTION CROSS SECTIONS OF MOLECULES 37

Fig. 16. Comparison of measured total absorption cross section data for 02 between 1300 and

1370 A; solid line, Blake et al. [1966]; dashed

line, Watanabe, Inn, and Zelikoff [1953] ; dotted

line, Metzger and Cook [19646].

necessarily mean that the published peak values or minima values are correct.

Between the bands there is a series of deep windows, one of which corresponds

to Lyman a, 1215 A. The absorption cross section has been given special attention at this wavelength by many investigators, and in Table 3 these reported

values are listed. The absorption cross section at Lyman « has been observed to

increase with pressure, an effect ascribed to the formation of O4 in the absorption cell; and the cross section quoted by the authors was obtained by extrapolating their measured cross section to zero pressure. The agreement between

the various observers is good and well within their mutual experimental errors. Pressure broadening of the rotational line structure seen by Tanaka [1952],

Alberti et al. [1968], and Ogawa [19686], in the vicinity of Lyman a could also

account for the pressure dependence of the cross section in this window; and

thus the use of the cross sections in Table 3 may not necessarily give true absorption profiles for solar Lyman a in the earth’s atmosphere. Figure 17 reproduces the

TABLE 3. Measured Cross Section for O2, at Lyman Alpha, 1215.6 A, Extrapolated to Zero Pressure

Investigators

Cross Section,

10-20 cm2 Method

Preston [1940] 1.04 Photoelectric

Watanabe et al. [1953a] 1.00 Photoelectric

Ditchburn et al. [1954] 0.84 Photographic

Lee [1955] 0.85 Photographic

Watanabe [1958] 1.00 Photoelectric

Metzger and Cook [19646] 1.04 Photoelectric

Shardanand [1967] 1.08 Photoelectric

Ogawa [19686] 1215.72-1.03

1215.63-1.13

Photoelectric
38 R. D. HUDSON

WAVELENGTH , A

Fig. 17. Comparison of measured total absorption cross section data for 02 between 1100

and 1300 A; solid lines, Watanabe [1958] ; +, Metzger and Cook [19646].

absorption cross section data of Watanabe [1958] and of Metzger and Cook

[19646] between 1100 and 1300 A. In view of its importance to the D and E

regions of the earth’s ionosphere, it would appear that more work in this particular spectral region could be useful.

The ionization edge of molecular oxygen is at 1027 A, and below this wavelength a complex band spectrum is observed down to 6001 A [Price and Collins,

1935; Tanaka and Takamine, 1942; Tanaka

,

1952]. These bands have been

assigned to Rydberg series that converge to limits at 682.22 A and 610.49 A. In

the region between 600 and 500 A, Rydberg series of neutral oxygen have been

observed by Codling and Madden [1965]. These converge to limits at 500.84

and 504.71 A. Photographs of the absorption spectrum of molecular oxygen are reproduced in the papers cited above.

The six most recent photoelectric measurements of the total photoabsorption

cross section of molecular oxygen, between 600 and 1025 A, are by Watanabe

and Marmo [1956], Cook and Metzger [1964a], Huffman et al. [1964a],

Samson and Cairns [1964], and Matsunaga and Watanabe [1967]. Of the

results obtained with a continuum light source, the data of Matsunaga and

Watanabe were obtained at the highest resolution, 0.3 A. The data obtained by

Huffman et al. between 800 and 1000 A agree very well in the over-all shape of

the absorption curve but are in general about 20% lower than those of Matsunaga
PHOTOABSORPTION CROSS SECTIONS OF MOLECULES 39

and Watanabe (see Figure 18). The data of Cook and Metzger are not in such

good agreement with those of Matsunaga and Watanabe; a comparison of the

cross sections at peaks and minima shows no constant discrepancy.

In the region between 600 and 800 A, the results obtained by Huffman et al. [1964a] are considerably higher than those obtained by Matsunaga and Watanabe,

the discrepancy between the two sets of data becoming larger as one goes to shorter

wavelengths (see Figure 19). This would indicate that over the spectral range

from 600 to 1000 A there is a systematic error between these two measurements

that depends upon wavelength. Where they can be compared, the results of

Samson and Cairns agree best with those of Matsunaga and Watanabe. The

data of Cook and Metzger are also in good agreement with those of Matsunaga

and Watanabe at the minima, although the maxima are in general lower. However, the absorption curves of Cook and Metzger do not show the band structure seen by Huffman et al. [1964a] and by Matsunaga and Watanabe at

wavelengths shorter than 670 A, although this structure is evident in the photographic studies of Ogawa [1968a]. This is apparently due to the weakness of

their light source at wavelengths below 670 A.

The cross-section curves given in the above papers are all subject to bandarU

o

5

i/>

u~i

8

cr

U

i i i i ii i i i i i lOOO 980 960 940 920 900

WAVELENGTH ,A

Fig. 18. Comparison of measured total absorption cross section data for 02 between 900 and

1000 A; top curve, Matsunaga and Watanabe [1967]; bottom curve, Huffman et al. [1964a]

divided by ten; +, Samson and Cairns [1964]. This computer plot is not scaled in integral

units of ten, the maximum value of the ordinate being 5.60 X 10~17 cm2

.
40 R. D. HUDSON

i

I I I I I I I I I I l 730 680 660 640 620 600

WAVELENGTH , A

Fig. 19. Comparison of measured total absorption cross section data for 02 between 600 and

700 A; curve 1, Matsunaga and Watanabe [1967]; curve 2, Huffman et al. [1964a]; +,

Samson and Cairns [1964].

width dependence, as is illustrated in Figure 20. In this figure the band profile

at 832 A obtained at 0.04 A bandwidth (Hudson and Carter, personal communication, 1968) is compared with that obtained from the curve published by

Matsunaga and Watanabe and with the points given by Samson and Cairns.

Also indicated on Figure 20 are positions of strong solar emission lines. It will

be noticed at once that the continuous curve as given by Matsunaga and Watanabe would yield the wrong attenuation profiles for some of these lines. Table

4 compares results obtained at the peak of this band by several investigators.

The agreement is reasonable, and one might be tempted to interpret this agreement as indicating that the cross section of molecular oxygen is well known at

this wavelength. But, as is indicated in Figure 20, the band shape must also be

known accurately, and the presently published data do not yield this information.

Measurements of the total absorption cross section between 200 and 600 A

have been obtained largely with line emission sources, and the results of Samson

and Cairns [1964, 1965] and Wainfan et al. [1955] are displayed in Figure 21.

The agreement between the various results selected is good, but there appears

to be a large amount of scatter between 500 and 600 A. Some of this scatter

can be attributed to the Rydberg series of absorption bands seen by Codling and

Madden [1965]. Henke et al. [1967] have obtained cross-section data between

8 and 114 A.
PHOTOABSORPTION CROSS SECTIONS OF MOLECULES 41

Fig. 20. Comparison of measured total absorption cross section data for 02 between 830 and 836

A; sol’d line, R. D. Hudson and V. L. Carter

(personal communication) ; dashed line, Matsunaga and Watanabe [1967]; X, Samson and

Cairns [1964].

The photoionization yield, rj, has been measured by several groups between

300 A and the photoionization limit at 1025 A. A comparison of the most recent

results between 700 and 900 A is presented in Figures 22 and 23. Cook and

Metzger [1964a] used a platinum plate in their ion chamber as a secondary

standard, standardizing the photoelectric yield of the metal against an inert

gas. This determination also required a pressure measurement. The data of

Samson and Cairns and of Matsunaga and Watanabe were obtained using the

total-absorption technique, which does not require a secondary standard or a

TABLE 4. Cross Section for O2 at the Peak of the Absorption Band at 832.70

Investigators Cross Section, Mb(10 18 cm2 ), Weissler and Lee [1952] 24.9

Huffman et al. [1964a] 36.4

Cook and Metzger [1964a] 35.32

Matsunaga and Watanabe [1967] 32.70
42 R. D. HUDSON

Fig. 21. Comparison of measured total absorption cross section data for 02 between 200 and

600 A; +, Samson and Cairns [1964]; circled dot, Wainfan et al. [1955]; X, Samson and

Ccdms [1965].

pressure measurement and should be more accurate. Cairns and Samson [1965]

estimate the accuracy of their yield to be ±5%, as do Matsunaga and Watanabe.

Cook and Metzger [1964a] estimate a higher experimental error of ±10%,

although they do not report whether this error includes the error in the determination of the photoionization yield of their secondary standard.

In the regions of band structure (680 to 900 A) the yield shows considerable

structure indicating that the bands do not completely preionize, but probably

predissociate as well. As was indicated in the introduction, AX) can also be

bandwidth-dependent, and in general one would expect the published results to

be upper limits for the particular bands. A comparison of the measurements

between 600 and 700 A indicate excellent agreement between the data of Samson

and Cairns, Matsunaga and Watanabe, and Wainfan et al., whereas the results

of Cook and Metzger are consistently lower.

Between 700 and 900 A the yield appears to drop to a value of about 50%,

and Matsunaga and Watanabe have postulated an underlying dissociation con- tinuum at this point corresponding to the process

02 + hv 0

3 P + 0

3 S

However, this region is also overlaid by bands, and by analogy with the example

given for carbon monoxide in subsection 5.1 one can postulate that no con-
PHOTOABSORPTION CROSS SECTIONS OF MOLECULES 43

tinuum is involved, but rather that the predissociation lifetime of the bands is

becoming shorter, giving rise to an apparent dissociation continuum due to

band overlap. Because of the importance of excited atomic species in atmospheric

processes, this possibility should be explored further.

The photoionization curve published in the paper by Matsunaga and

Watanabe should represent a reasonable value for the photoionization cross sec- tion of molecular oxygen, bearing in mind the possibility of bandwidth dependence.

In the region below 600 A the consensus of results indicates that the photoionization efficiency is 1 ; thus the photoabsorption cross section as shown in Figure 21

will be numerically equal to the photoionization cross section.

Photoionization efficiency curves, as defined in mass spectrometric measurements, have been obtained by Dibeler and Walker [1967] and by Nicholson

[1963]. Unfortunately, both of these measurements were obtained at much

poorer resolution than the results of Matsunaga and Watanabe, and it is difficult

to compare these three sets of experimental data. In general, the relative ionization-cross-section curves in the two former papers are consistent with the results

in the latter paper.

Dibeler and Walker did observe the onset of dissociative ionization at 719 A,

this dissociative ionization leading to the production of an 0

,+ and an 0“ ion.

0 I I i i i i i i i 900 880 860 840 820 800

WAVELENGTH , A

Fig. 22. Comparison of measured photoionization yield data for Oa between 800 and 900 A;

+, Cook and Metzger [1964a] ; circled dot, Samson and Cairns [1964] ; solid line, Matsunaga

and Watanabe [1967].
44 R. D. HUDSON

WAVELENGTH , A

Fig. 23. Comparison of measured photoionization, yield data for Oa between. 700 and 800 A;

solid line, Matsunaga and Watanabe [1967] ; boxed dot, Cook and Metzger [1964a] ; circled

dot, Samson and Cairns [1964] ; Wainjan et al. [1955].

They observe this dissociation process to be much weaker than the production

of the 02

+ ion, but as mentioned earlier, part of this discrepancy could be due

to the finite kinetic energy that the atomic ions will possess. These curves also

show some structure indicating preionization into the dissociative continuum.

Comes et al. [1968], using a molecular beam technique, have also investigated the production of 0

+ from 02 and have published dissociative ionization

cross sections. Unfortunately, it would appear that the production of energetic

0

+ ions at wavelengths shorter than 720 A should affect the cross-section measurements of these workers as well; thus the accuracy of their results is not

known. Their results are more likely, however, to be too low than too high,

and more likely to be in error at shorter wavelengths than at the longer wavelengths. Evidence for the production of excited states in 02

+ by the use of

photoelectron spectroscopy and by the study of the fluorescence from the excited

molecules has recently been summarized by Schoen [1969], and the reader is

directed to his review for a detailed discussion of these experimental results.

B. Molecular Nitrogen, N2 The absorption spectrum of molecular nitrogen between 2000 A and 100 A

can be characterized by weak absorption bands between 1000 A and 2000 A,
PHOTOABSORPTION CROSS SECTIONS OF MOLECULES 45

strong band structure between 660 A and 1000 A, and an ionization continuum

extending from 100 A to 800 A.

The absorption bands of N2 observed above 1000 A arise from forbidden

transitions from the ground state X1 ^- to the a'-Tig state (the Lyman-BirgeHopfield bands), the C3IT« state, and the state. These bands have been

studied photographically at high resolution by Sponer [1927], Birge and Hopfield [1928], Tanaka [1955], and Tanaka et al. [1964]. The strongest system

is the Lyman-Birge-Hopfield system. The bands appear to be sharp, although

for the 7-0 band and above, there is evidence for predissociation [HermanMontagne, 1945; Herzberg and Herzberg, 1948]. Several experimenters have

measured absorption coefficients, at poor resolution, above 1000 A [Ditchburn

et al., 1954; Watanabe et al., 1953c; Weissler et al., 1952; and Preston, 1940].

Their conclusions are that, apart from the bands w

There quantitative measurements were not possible, any underlying continuum must have a cross section

of less than 2 X 10-22 cm2

. The oscillator strengths for the bands have recently

been measured by Ching et al. [1967] and Shemansky [1970].

Between 660 A and 1000 A, molecular nitrogen has a complex spectrum of

strong bands. Worley [1943, 1953] and Ogawa and Tanaka [1962] ordered these

bands into Rydberg series and into 13 short vibrational progressions. Recent

WAVELENGTH, A

Fig. 24. Comparison of measured total absorption cross section data for N2 between 828 and

837 A; solid line, Hudson and Carter [1969a]; dotted line, Huffman et al. [19636]; dashed

line, Cook and Metzger [1964a].
46 R. D. HUDSON

analysis by Dressier [1969] has reordered these bands, however, into two excited

valence states, b'

1 2u + and b ^II^ whose levels show strong interaction with the

levels of Rydberg states, C

1 SM + and C1 nu , of the configuration (N2 + *S)3po-u , 3pxu . All of the spectra obtained with high-resolution spectrographs show clearly

resolved rotational structure. Bandwidth dependence of measured cross sections

is to be expected under these circumstances and is seen in a comparison of experimental results. Such a comparison, taken from a recent paper by Hudson and

Carter [1969a], is shown in Figure 24. It should be stressed that the data of Hudson

and Carter, obtained at a bandwidth of 0.04 A, are for <r(X', AX, N), not o-(X').

The wavelength interval from the ionization edge, at 795.8 A, to 1000 A

has been investigated by Huffman et al. [19636] and by Cook and Metzger

[1964a] , who used a continuum light source, and by Watanabe and Marmo [1956]

Itamoto and McAllister [1961], and Samson and Cairns [1964], who used a line

emission source. In view of the strong bandwidth dependence of the measured

absorption cross sections between 800 A and 1000 A, it has not been considered

fruitful to attempt to compare the different sets of data. It is recommended that,

where possible, the data of Samson and Cairns should be used; otherwise the

data of Cook and Metzger [1964a] and of Huffman et al. [19636] have equal

WAVELENGTH , A

Fig. 25. Comparison of measured total absorption cross section data for N2 between 600 and

650 A; +, Cook and Metzger [1964a]; X, Samson and Cairns [1964]; solid line, Huffman

et al. [1963b] ; boxed dot, Wainfan et al. [1955].
PHOTOABSORPTION CROSS SECTIONS OF MOLECULES 47

weight. The latter group has available (R. Huffman, personal communication,

1969) more detailed cross section curves than those published in their paper

(R. Huffman, personal communication, 1969)

The strong bandwidth dependence found for the measured cross sections is almost certainly the cause of the discrepancy between the intensity distribution

among the bands obtained from these optical results and the electron energyloss spectra of Lassettre et al. [1965, 1966] and Geiger and Stickel [1965]. The

recent high-resolution (0.04 A) absorption data of Lawrence et al. [1968]

between 958 and 972 A is, on the other hand, in excellent agreement with the

energy-loss spectra. The reviewer concurs with these authors that until further

high-resolution absorption studies are made, the band oscillator strengths obtained

from the energy-loss spectrum should be preferred over the optical results.

No investigations have been made of the dissociation of N2 between 800 A

and 1000 A, although both Hudson and Carter [1969a, 6] and Lawrence et al. [1968] have inferred predissociation in bands at 972 and 828 A from anomalously

broad line widths. The presence of a dissociation continuum under the bands

is not clearly evidenced. The high-resolution spectra of Hudson and Carter

[1969a] would set an upper limit to such a continuum at 830 A of 5 X 10"19 cm2

. Previous estimates have been 2-4 X 10-19 cm2

, between 850 and 1000 A [Watanabe and Marmo> 1956; Cook and Metzger, 1964a].

The first ionization limit of N2 is at 795.8 A. From this wavelength to 600 A

the absorption spectrum appears to consist of bands on an underlying continuum.

Most of the bands in this region are diffuse [Worley, 1943, 1953; Ogawa and

Tanaka

,

1962]. Wainjan et al. [1955], Huffman et al. [19636], Cook and Metzger

[1964a], Cook and Ogawa [1965], and Samson and Cairns [1964], who have

made absorption measurements in this spectral region, do not report finding any

‘apparent pressure effects.’ As was pointed out in section IV, this does not imply

that the cross sections are not bandwidth dependent. Between 660 and 720 A

there are a series of Rydberg lines with their accompanying ‘apparent emission

series’ (i.e., preionization features with q = 0 [ Fano

,

1961]), and in Table 5, the

results obtained for these maxima and minima by Huffman et al. [19636] and

by Cook and Metzger [1964a] are compared. The agreement is not good.

Figure 25 compares the total absorption-cross-section data obtained by these

TABLE 5. Comparison of Cross Sections for N2 Between 660 A and 720 A

Wavelength, A

(nominal)

Cross Section, Mb(10-18 cm2 ) Huffman et al. [19636] Cook and Metzger [1964a]

723.4 82.2 49.1

715.3 16.7 23.0

694.9 61.7 35.3

690.9 19.8 20.8

681.9 48.3 29.0

679.7 19.6 21.6

675.1 42.0 25.7

674.1 24.7 21.6
48 R. D. HUDSON

Fig. 26. Comparison of measured total absorption cross section data for N3 between 200

and 600 A; +, Samson and Cairns [1964]; X, Wainfan et al. [1965]; circled dot, Samson

and Cairns [1965].

two groups with those of Wainfan et al. [1955] and Samson and Cairns [1964],

between 600 A and 660 A. There appears to be a distinct difference between the

results obtained with the use of line emission sources and those obtained with the

use of continuum sources. The helium continuum source is generally weaker in

this region, and great care has to be taken to account for the effects of the

fluorescence from N2

+ that has a sharp onset at 660 A. Huffman [1969] has

reported that the step in the cross section that was reported by Huffman et al. [19636] at 6601 A is probably not real, a fact that the reviewer assumes to be the

result of an overcorrection for this fluorescence. The over-all view of the cross section for N2 between 600 A and 800 A is, then, one of confusion.

The cross-section curve below 600 A appears to be continuous, except for

the region between 480 and 555 A, where Codling [1966] observed discrete

structure photographically. This previously unresolved structure was identified

by Codling as due to a state of neutral N2 , and is observed to be preionized.

Figure 26 compares absorption data obtained by Samson and Cairns [1964, 1965]

and Wainfan et al. [1955] between 200 A and 600 A. The results of both groups

agree well within their quoted errors. Henke et al. [1967] have measured cross sections for molecular nitrogen between 10 A and 114 A.

The photoionization yield, rj, has been measured between 300 and 800 A by
PHOTOABSORPTION CROSS SECTIONS OF MOLECULES 49

Wainfan et al. [1955], Samson and Cairns [1964], Cook and Metzger [1964a],

and Cook and Ogawa [1965]. Wainfan et al., using a calibrated thermopile, measured the absolute photon flux entering their ionization chamber, whereas Samson

and Cairns used the total-absorption technique as described in section III. Both

Cook and Metzger and Cook and Ogawa used a platinum photodiode as a sec- ondary standard, the photoyield of the platinum being determined in an inertgas-filled ion chamber. Wainfan et al. estimate an error in the determination of

the yield of about ±15% ; Samson and Cairns estimate ±5% ; Cook and Metzger

estimate ±5% between 650 A and 800 A, and ±10% for wavelengths less than

650 A; and Cook and Ogawa give no estimate of the error. Figure 27 compares the results obtained by these groups between 600 A and

700 A. The data of Samson and Cairns indicate a yield of 1 between 500 A and

640 A, falling to about 0.95 at 690 A. The data of Wainfan et al. are in essential

agreement with this, except between 500 A and 580 A, where the Rydberg series

of Codlin g and Madden are to be found. The data of Cook and Metzger are about

20% lower. Between 700 A and 800 A the yield fluctuates, especially at the band

maxima, between 40% and 100%. These fluctuations have been shown to be

dependent on the particular series to which the upper state belongs [Cook and

Ogawa, 1965]. It should be noted that the efficiency measured by Cook and Ogawa

WAVELENGTH, A

Fig. 27. Comparison of measured photoionization yield data for N2 between 600 and 700 A;

+, Wainfan et al. [1955] ; circled dot, Samson and Cairns [1964] ; boxed dot, Cook and

Metzger [1964a],
50 R. D. HUDSON

is rj, which will be bandwidth-dependent; thus some of the fluctuation could be

accounted for by different line widths of the bands in the series.

The error given by Cook and Metzger for their yield measurements does

not appear to include the systematic error inherent in the calibration of the

photoelectric yield of their platinum photodiode. It is likely, therefore, that their

measured yield for N2 below 650 A could be as high as 1.0. At this time it is felt

that for the continuum from 10 A to 650 A an efficiency of 1 can be assumed,

and the photoionization cross section will be numerically equal to the total photoabsorption cross section. Between 650 A and 800 A the data of Cook and Metzger

and those of Cook and Ogawa must be used with some reservations.

Relative photoionization cross sections, using a mass spectrometer, have

been obtained by Comes and Lessmann [1964]. Unfortunately, the instrumental

resolution used was 2 A, and direct comparison cannot be made with other measurements.

C. Water Vapor, Hz O

The absorption spectrum of water vapor in the ultraviolet consists of con- tinuous absorption between 1450 and 1860 A, diffuse bands between 1250 and

690 A, and continuous absorption below 690 A. The ionization edge is at 984 A,

and the bands that overlie the ionization continuum lead to two limits at 860

A and 690 A.

0 i i i i i i I i i i

i 1800 1600 1400 1200

WAVELENGTH , A

Fig. 28. Comparison of measured total absorption cross section data for H20 between 1200

and 1800 A; solid line, Watanabe and Zelikoff [1953] ; +, Laufer and McNesby [1955].
PHOTOABSORPTION CROSS SECTIONS OF MOLECULES 51

The continuous absorption between 1450 A and 1860 A has been measured

by Wilkinson and Johnston [1050], Watanabe and Zelikofj [1053], Joharmin- Gilles et al. [1056], Watanabe and Jursa [1064], and Lauffer and McNesby

[1065]. Figure 28 shows the absorption cross section for water vapor between

1200 A and 1800 A obtained by Watanabe and Zelikofj [1053] and Lauffer and

McNesby [1065]. The two sets of results agree within ±10%. Neither group

explicitly states what the error in its measurements might be, but it seems rea- sonable to assign an error of at least ±10%, such that the agreement between

these two curves can be considered good. Both Wilkinson and Johnston and

Johannin-Gilles et al. observed band structure in this wavelength interval. However, neither Watanabe and Zelikoff nor Lauffer and McNesby find any such

band structure within their experimental error of less than ±5%.

Between 1250 A and 1450 A Watanabe and Zelikoff [1053] observed broad

diffuse bands in agreement with the photographic evidence obtained by Price

[1036]. Lauffer and McNesby do not report seeing these bands, although the

over-all shape of the curve they obtained is in quantitative agreement with the

mean curve obtained by Watanabe and Zelikoff. It would seem that the data of

Watanabe and Zelikoff are to be preferred in this spectral region. Below 1250 A,

Price [1035] could distinguish rotational structure on his photographic plates,

although the structure was too complicated to analyze. Apparent pressure effects

WAVELENGTH , A

Fig. 29. Comparison of measured total absorption cross section data for H20 between 800

and 1100 A; curve 1, Watanabe and Jursa [1964] ; curve 2, Metzger and Cook [1964a].
52 R. D. HUDSON

are to be expected and are reported by Watanabe and Zelikoff between 1060 A

and 1250 A.

Total absorption cross sections for wavelengths below 1060 A have been

obtained by Watanabe and Jursa [1964] and Metzger and Cook [1964a]. Fig- ure 29 compares the results obtained by these two groups. In the region of overlap between the data of Metzger and Cook and those of Watanabe and Jursa

there is surprising disagreement. Metzger and Cook show a smooth curve

between 860 A and 1000 A, in direct conflict with the band structure observed

by Watanabe and Jursa. Because this band structure has been observed by

Henning [1932] and Hopfield [1950], using photographic techniques, it is felt

that the data of Watanabe and Jursa are more reliable in the wavelength region

from 860 A to 1160 A. The reader is cautioned that the results given by Watanabe

and Jursa may be subject to bandwidth dependence.

The photoionization yield for wavelengths shorter than 984 A has been

investigated by Watanabe and Jursa [1964], Metzger and Cook [1964a], and

Wainjan et al. [1955]. Watanabe and Jursa obtained photoionization yields of

30% at 984 A, 40% at 950 A, and nearly 50% in the region below 900 A. Metzger

and Cook, on the other hand, obtained a photoionization yield of 15% at 984 A,

O 1 i i i i i i i i lOOO 960 920 880 840 800

WAVELENGTH, A

Fig. 30. Comparison of measured photoionization yield data for H20 between 800 and 1000

A; solid line, Watanabe and Jursa [1964]; +, Metzger and Cook [1964a]; X, Wainjan et al. [1955].
PHOTOABSORPTION CROSS SECTIONS OF MOLECULES 53

30% at 950 A, and 38% at 900 A. The three sets of data are compared in Figures

30 and 31.

The photoionization efficiency using mass spectrometers has been obtained

by Dibeler et al. [1966] and by Brehm [1966]. If these two sets of relative

ionization cross sections are normalized to the value obtained at 970 A by

Watanabe, then the three curves of Watanabe et al., Dibeler et ah, and Brehm

are in very good agreement about the over-all shape of the curve in the region

of overlap.

All three groups report band structure in this wavelength interval, indicating

that the band structure observed by Watanabe and Jursa is preionized. Band

structure has also been reported by Dibeler et al. [1966] between 800 A and 690

A, but again no bands were seen in this wavelength interval by Metzger and Cook.

The other two measurements of photoionization cross sections did not extend to

this wavelength region.

The fact that Metzger and Cook do not report bands between 984 and 860 A

could be ascribed to the weakness of their helium continuum light source in this

wavelength interval. But, as this emission continuum peaks at about 800 A, it is difficult to understand why Metzger and Cook did not observe the band structure

reported by Dibeler et al. between 860 A and 690 A, especially as both groups

used the same light source. At 687 A Dibeler et al. observed the onset of dissociative ionization, giving

rise to an OH+ ion and a hydrogen atom. At the same time, the ionization effi- ciency for the molecular ion shows a marked decrease. Dibeler et al. suggest

WAVELENGTH, A Fig. 31. Comparison of measured photoionization yield data for HA)

between 500 and 800 A; solid line, Metzger and Cook [1964a] ; +, Wainfan

et al, [1955].
54 R. D. HUDSON

that the OH+ ion could arise from the dissociation of the H2 0

+ ion, which energetically can then be left in the 2B2 state at this wavelength.

D. Molecular Hydrogen, H2 The absorption spectrum of molecular hydrogen is characterized by sharp

absorption bands at wavelengths longer than 840 A; a dissociation continuum

overlaid by absorption bands between 800 and 840 A; and an ionization con- tinuum extending from 800 A down to 200 A (the present lower limit of the

absorption measurements) that is also overlaid by bands between 740 A and

800 A. The absorption bands above 840 A exhibit sharp rotational lines, and no

quantitative absorption cross sections are available. Haddad et al

[1968] have

determined the oscillator strengths of some of these lines, but their measurements

are limited to the wavelength interval 1060 A to 1130 A. The region between

800 A and 1000 A has been studied photographically quite extensively at high

resolution, and the reader is referred to papers by Namioka [1964a, 6] for a discussion of the band positions and references to previous papers. The bands

observed between 740 A and 840 A are known to predissociate [Comes and

Wellem, 1968] and preionize [Cook and Metzger, 19646; Chupka and Berkowitz, 1968] into the underlying continua. However, theoretical calculations indicate that the rotational lines will be quite narrow, with halfwidths of the order

of 1 cm-1 [Nielsen and Berry, 1968]

The total absorption cross section of molecular hydrogen has been measured

in the wavelength interval 200 A to 840 A by Cook and Metzger [19646] ; Comes

and Wellem [1968] ; Wainfan et al. [1955] ; Bunch et al. [1958] ; and Samson

and Cairns [1965]. Of these measurements, those of Cook and Metzger and

of Comes and Wellern used a continuum light source. Figure 32 displays the

results of these groups between 200 and 700 A. The results from the paper of

Wainfan et al. are not shown, since they fall outside the range of this figure.

The narrow width of the rotational lines between 740 A and 840 A means

that the absorption cross sections of Cook and Metzger and those of Comes and

Wellern will be bandwidth-dependent in this spectral range. The underlying

dissociation continuum is of considerable interest, since the dissociation process

leaves one of the hydrogen atoms in the 2s or 2p state, leading to the emission

of Lyman a (1216 A) [Beyer and Welge, 1967; Comes and Wellern, 1968] . Comes

and Wellern, who have also investigated the production of Lyman « by absorption in the band structure between 800 A and 840 A, indicate an efficiency for

production of about 1. In their paper, Cook and Metzger have connected the

minima between these bands and ascribed the shape to the underlying con- tinuum. However, recent measurements by R. D. Hudson and V. L. Carter

(personal communication, 1970) between 800 and 840 A at a bandwidth of 0.04 A

have shown that the underlying continuum as drawn by Cook and Metzger is

not correct, and that the shape obtained at high resolution agrees well with

recent theoretical calculations of Dalgamo and Allison [1969]. These latter

results also cast doubt on the validity of the shape of the ionization continuum

depicted by Cook and Metzger.

The photoionization yield for molecular hydrogen has been measured by
PHOTOABSORPTION CROSS SECTIONS OF MOLECULES 55

Fig. 32. Comparison of measured total absorption cross section data for H2 between 200

and 700 A; Metzger and Cook [1964b]; circled dot, Samson and Cairns [1965]; triangle

dot, Bunch et al. [1958].

WAVELENGTH ,A

Fig. 33. Comparison of measured photoionization yield data for Ha

between 600 and 750 A; solid line, Metzger and Cook [1964b] ; -f, Wainfaxn

etal. [1955].
56 R. D. HUDSON

Cook et al. and Wainfan et al., and the results obtained by these two groups

between 600 A and 750 A are displayed in Figure 33. The yield appears to be

1.0 for wavelengths shorter than 700 A, and it fluctuates for wavelengths longer

than 700 A. In the vicinity of the bands the yield will be strongly bandwidthdependent, and Chupka and Berkowitz [1968] have shown that the individual

rotational lines have varying probabilities for preionization. It is recommended

that for wavelengths less than 700 A the ionization cross section be made numerically equal to the total absorption cross section.

Photoionization efficiency measurements have been made with mass spectrometers by Comes [1967] and by Dibeler, Reese, and Krauss [1965]. The former

were obtained at an instrumental resolution of 0.4 A, the latter at 2 A. These

sets of data are in qualitative agreement with the results obtained by Cook and

Metzger.

E. Carbon Monoxide, CO

The absorption spectrum of carbon monoxide between 200 A and 3000 A

consists of a smooth continuum from 200 A to 630 A and strong bands from 630

A to 3000 A, some of which overlie possible continua. The ionization limit is at 885 A.

The wavelength interval between 1060 A and 2100 A has been investigated

by two groups: Watanabe et al. [1953c], who investigated the region between

1060 and 1650 A, and Thompson et al. [1963], who investigated the region

between 1850 and 2100 A. Both groups employed photoelectric techniques at a

resolution of the order of 1 A. The high-resolution photographic studies of

Tanaka et al. [1957] and of Read [1934] have found strong, sharp bands in this

spectral region. It is not surprising, therefore, that both Watanabe et al. and

Thompson et al. report that their measured absorption cross sections were

strongly pressure-dependent, i.e., strongly bandwidth-dependent. Watanabe et al. indicate a continuum between 1250 and 1650 A, but the photographic data of

Tanaka et al. [1957] show no such dissociation continuum, even at the highest

pressures used by the latter authors. Thus, it is likely that this apparent con- tinuum can be ascribed to insufficient resolution. The bands observed in this

spectral region have been assigned to several systems, and these are discussed

in detail by Tanaka et al. [1957]. The recommendation is that the absorption

data obtained between 1170 and 3000 A be treated as qualitative. There is an

obvious need for higher-resolution studies to be made in this particular spectral

region.

The spectral region between 885 and 1000 A has been investigated with a continuum light source by Huffman et al. [19646] and by Cook et al. [1965],

and with a line emission source by Cairns and Samson [1965]. The spectrum of

carbon monoxide in this spectral region consists of many strong bands, some

of which have been arranged by Takamine et al. [1943] into two Rydberg

series, but many of which remain to be classified. All groups report ‘apparent

pressure effects’ between 885 and 1000 A. Huffman et al. indicate in their tables

where this effect occurs (mainly at the peaks) ; Cook et al. give values in their

tables that were obtained by extrapolating the measured cross sections to zero
PHOTOABSORPTION CROSS SECTIONS OF MOLECULES 57

pressure; whereas Samson and Cairns give their measured cross section at three

pressure values. Figure 34 compares the cross sections obtained by these three

groups between 900 and 980 A ; the data of Huffman et al. and Cook et al. have

been displaced for the sake of clarity. One thing immediately apparent is the

random discrepancy between the two sets of data obtained with the use of a continuum light source. It would also appear that the data of Huffman et al. were obtained with the smaller bandwidth. The three points shown at each

WAVELENGTH ,A

Fig. 34. Comparison of measured total absorption cross section data for CO between 900

and 980 A; upper curve, Huffman et al. [19646] ; bottom curve, Cook et al. [1965] ; +, Cairns

and Samson [1965].
58 R. D. HUDSON

wavelength for Cairns and Samson represent the ‘pressure effect.’ As the published cross sections between 885 and 1000 A are obviously strongly bandwidthdependent, they should be treated as qualitative. Both Huffman et al. and Cook

et al. report the existence of an absorption continuum that begins at 960 A and

becomes stronger toward shorter wavelengths. However, since this continuum

seems to get stronger as the band structure becomes more crowded, it is likely

that this continuum is due purely to band overlap ; and there seems no reason to

ascribe a continuum to this particular spectral region.

Between 885 A and 750 A (the latter wavelength corresponding to the

second ionization limit of the molecule) the absorption bands appear to be

weaker when compared with those at wavelengths above 885 A. Both Cook et al. [1965] and Huffman et al. [19645] report that the peak absorption cross sec- tions of the bands in this region exhibit no pressure effects. The illustration that

was used in section V from the data of Huffman et al. indicates the number

of possible band shapes and corrected absorption cross sections that are possible

under these conditions. Both groups see the Rydberg bands leading up to the

a

2 n state of CO+ (750 A) and report that the higher vibrational states in

the Rydberg series appear to be stronger. Cook et al. believe that this is due to the

large difference in internuclear separation between the a

2n state of CO+ and the

3

I 1 I I I I I I i l I 1 I l 750 700 650 600

WAVELENGTH ,A

Fig. 35. Comparison of measured total absorption cross section data for CO between 600

and 750 A; solid line, Huffman et al. [1964b] ; Cook et al. [1965]; x, Cairns and Samson

[1965].
PHOTOABSORPTION CROSS SECTIONS OF MOLECULES 59

ground state of CO. However, as indicated before, this could also be explained

by the broadening of the lines in these bands as the series approaches the second

ionization limit. It seems, therefore, that until cross sections are obtained at

higher resolution in this spectral region, one can make no simple comparison of

the relative strengths of the Rydberg bands. It is felt that, at present, the data

of either Cook et al. or Huffman et al. should be used between 750 A and 885 A

except where values obtained by Cairns and Samson are available; however, the

reader is cautioned that the published cross sections are subject to bandwidth

dependence.

Figure 35 compares the absorption cross sections obtained by the three

groups cited above between 600 A and 750 A. In this wavelength interval, Cook

et al. and Huffman et al. report finding weak absorption bands that are identified

with the Rydberg bands first seen by Tanaka [1942]. It will be noted that there

is a decided discrepancy between the three sets of results. Both Cook et al. and

Huffman et al. report fluorescent emission from CO when the wavelength of the

incident light is shorter than 760 A. Huffman et al., who used a sodium-salicylatecoated photomultiplier and a short cell, applied a correction to their measured

transmitted intensity at these wavelengths, whereas Cook et al., who used a platinum photodetector, report that such a correction was not needed. The published cross sections of Huffman et al. show a distinct jump at 730 A, analogous

to a similar jump seen in molecular nitrogen by this group at 660 A. As was

2.5

2.0

cj"'£o

r-T

o 1.5

z

o•—

H

O i 0 UJ

1 • u

in

inino

a.u 0.5

0

600 500 400 300 200

WAVELENGTH, A

Fig. 36. Comparison of measured total absorption cross section data for CO between 200

and 600 A; X, Caii'ns and Samson [19651 ; -j-> Cairns and Samson [1966].
60 R. D. HUDSON

discussed in section VI-B, this jump in N2 could be artificial, resulting from an

over-correction for fluorescence, and the jump in CO at 730 A may be subject

to the same error. The results of Cook et al. and of Cairns and Samson agree

just within their quoted errors. The absorption cross section for carbon monoxide between 200 A and 600 A

has been investigated by Cairns and Samson [1965, 1966], who used the doubleion-chamber technique; the results are presented in Figure 36. The authors

estimate their error to be ±5% between 550 A and 340 A and ±10% at shorter

wavelengths.

Photoionization yields between 100 A and 885 A have been obtained by

Cairns and Samson [1965] and by Cook et al. [1965]. A comparison of the

results obtained by these two groups between 600 A and 885 A is given in Figure

37. The yield would appear to be 100% between 300 A and 600 A [Cairns and

Samson, 1965] . Cook and Metzger indicate fluctuating yields in the vicinity of the

Rydberg series, which will be expected to be subject to bandwidth effects.

In summary, the absorption curve shown in Figure 36 should be applicable

to both the absorption and the ionization cross sections, whereas above 600 A

the photoionization curve, as published by Cook et al., should be used, with the

proviso that both the absorption cross section and the ionization cross section

WAVELENGTH ,A

Fig. 37. Comparison of measured photoionization yield data for CO between 600 and 900 A;

solid line, Cook et al. [1965] ; +, Cairns and Samson [1965].
PHOTOABSORPTION CROSS SECTIONS OF MOLECULES 61

will be bandwidth-dependent. There have been no measurements by mass spectrometers of the photoionization efficiency for carbon monoxide.

F. Nitric Oxide, NO

Absorption cross sections for nitric oxide have been obtained between 580

A and 2350 A. In this wavelength interval the spectrum consists of band structure superposed on ionization and dissociation continua. The first ionization

limit of nitric oxide is at 1350 A.

The total absorption cross section of nitric oxide between 1340 A and 2350 A

has been investigated by Marino [1953] and by Thompson et at. [1963]. The

bands between 1350 A and 2350 A, consisting of the B, A, e, and y band systems,

have been studied extensively by high-resolution photographic techniques (see,

for example, Lagerquist and Meischer [1958] and Dressier and Meischer [1965]).

These photographic spectra show sharp and well-resolved rotational structure,

and both Marmo and Thompson et al. report strong ‘apparent pressure effects.’

Marmo considers his published cross sections to be only semiquantitative, and it is obvious that the data of both groups will be strongly bandwidth-dependent.

Marmo identifies two possible continua in this wavelength interval, one between

1400 A and 1600 A, the other extending from 1390 to shorter wavelengths; but

he indicates that the former continuum is probably due to band overlap. It

would seem that the same argument could be applied to the latter continuum,

at least down to 1350 A.

The wavelength region between 580 A and 1340 A has been studied by

Walker and Weissler [1955c], Watanabe [1954], Watanabe et al. [1967], and

Metzger et al. [1967]. All these papers include measurements of both the photoionization efficiency and the photoabsorption cross section. The data of Walker

and Weissler are labeled ‘preliminary.’ The data of Watanabe et al. contain a

correction to the original yield data of Watanabe [1954] and were obtained at

much better resolution (0.2 A compared with 1.0 A) ; thus in this review the

former paper only has been considered.

In general, the agreement between the results of Watanabe et al. and Metzger

et al. is well within their quoted errors except at the peaks of some of the bands,

where the smaller bandwidth of Watanabe et al. yields larger cross sections.

This observation indicates that the cross sections obtained by both groups will

be subject to some bandwidth dependence. The data of Watanabe et al. are given

in tabular form only, and the reader is referred to the paper of Metzger et al. for

figures displaying the cross-section curves. The bands between 680 and 1340 A are observed to have varying degrees

of preionization, and the yield measurements in this wavelength interval show

considerable structure. In general, the yield measurements of Metzger et al. are about 25% lower than those of Watanabe et al. This is illustrated in Figure 38,

which shows the yield for the wavelength interval 600 A to 700 A. Although

the results probably agree within the mutual experimental errors of the two

groups, the large discrepancy is disturbing. The values of the yield obtained by

Watanabe et al. between 1070 A and 1350 A are about 8% lower than the yields

obtained by Watanabe [1954]. The choice between these three sets of data is
62 R. D. HUDSON

Fig. 38. Comparison of measured photoionization, yield data for NO between 600 and 700

A; +, Watanabe et al. [1967] ; X, Metzger et al. [1967].

not easy; but because of the consistency of the Watanabe data and the fact that

the total-absorption technique should be more accurate, these yield data are probably to be preferred.

Both Watanabe et al. and Metzger et al. indicate the presence of a dissociation continuum between 750 A and 1050 A based largely on the yield measurements. These designations should be treated with caution in view of uncertainty in the yield measurements and band overlap. Beyer and Welge [1964]

and Metzger et al. observed fluorescence between 1100 A and 1600 A from

nitric oxide irradiated with wavelengths less than 750 A and 677 A, respectively. Beyer and Welge postulate that this radiation arises as a result of dissociation (i.e., from excited atomic products), thus supporting the contention

of underlying dissociation continua. However, the data of Metzger et al. can

be explained by emission from the Miescher-Baer bands of NO+ [Baer and

Meischer

1953; Tanaka, 1953] in the allowed transition A1 ]! —> X1^

(677 A

correlates well with the A1 n state of NO+ ). The fluorescence study of Metzger

et al. was performed with the use of a continuum light source, whereas Beyer

and Welge used a line emission source, with the result that Metzger et al. were

able to observe the sharp onsets of fluorescence. Thus their explanation of the

fluorescence is felt to carry greater weight.

The photoionization efficiency has been measured with mass spectrometric
PHOTOABSORPTION CROSS SECTIONS OF MOLECULES 63

techniques by Weissler et al. [1959], and by Reese and Rosenstock [1966]. The

former results were obtained with a line emission source, the latter with con- tinuum light sources at an instrumental resolution of 2 A. Their results are in

qualitative agreement with the results of Watanabe et al.

G. Carbon Dioxide, C02 The absorption spectrum of carbon dioxide between 1060 A and 1800 A

consists of three apparent absorption continua, overlaid by bands, which appear

from photographic experiments to be diffuse in nature [Price and Simpson,

1939]. Between 1100 A and 900 A the spectrum consists of another apparent

continuum, which again is overlaid by both sharp and diffuse bands, the intensity

of both types of bands increasing toward shorter wavelengths. The ionization

edge of carbon dioxide is at 986 A, and from this wavelength to 840 A the

absorption is characterized by a smooth continuum. Bands begin to appear again

at 840 A and continue down to 680 A, at which point a smooth continuum extends

to 100 A [Tanaka et al., 1960a; Tanaka and Ogawa, 1962].

The absorption cross section between 1200 A and 1800 A has been investigated by Wilkinson and Johnston [1950] ; Inn et al. [1953] ; Thompson et al. [1963] ; and Nakata et al. [1965]. The data obtained by Nakata et al. are in

good agreement with those of Inn et al., except at the peaks of the absorption

bands and the minima between the bands. At these points the data of Nakata

et al. are consistently higher for the peaks and consistently lower for the minima,

as would be expected if the absorption cross sections are bandwidth-dependent.

Although Nakata et al. note the discrepancy between their results and those of

Inn et al., they draw no conclusions. Many authors quote the conclusion reached

in the paper of Inn et al., namely that the spectrum between 1200 A and 1700 A

consists of two continua, one centered at 1450 A and the other at 1325 A, both

of which are overlaid by bands. As has already been discussed in the introduction to this review, this is not necessarily a valid assumption. Indeed, a comparison of the spectrum of carbon dioxide with that of sulphur dioxide in Figure

8 would indicate that it is just as likely that these continua are due to band

overlap. Dissociation, however, has been observed, at pressures greater than 10

mm, at 1470 A and 1236 A, with a quantum efficiency of about 1 [McNesby and

Okabe, 1964]. The data obtained by Wilkinson et al. are markedly different

from those of both Nakata et al. and Inn et al. in that this former group observed

a continuum that peaked at 1500 A and then fell off to zero at 1400 A. Both

Inn et al. and Nakata et al. used cells less than 7 cm in length and pressures of

up to 100 mm in their measurements. Wilkinson et al., on the other hand, used

a cell of 38 cm in length and pressures up to 2.4 mm. One could speculate, therefore, that the difference between these three groups could be the pressure at

which the measurements were obtained; that is, the broadening that has given

rise to the apparent continua at both 1450 and 1325 A could be collisional

broadening giving rise to induced predissociation.

The continuum centered at 1325 A is particularly in doubt, since the measured peaks still appear sharp and almost symmetric. High-resolution photographs taken by Price and Simpson [1939] would appear to confirm these doubts:
64 R. D. HUDSON

these authors report that as the pressure in their experiment was reduced to a few tenths of a millimeter, the continuous absorption below 1620 A became weak,

and that between 1390 A and 1240 A a set of distinct bands appeared. No mention of an underlying continuum is made. There would appear to be a need for

high-resolution absorption spectra obtained at low pressures for this particular

spectral region.

Nakata et al. and Inn et al. have also measured the absorption cross section

between 1000 A and 1200 A. Both groups report finding no pressure dependence

of the absorption cross section, and yet bandwidth dependence is evident when

the results at the peaks and at the minima are compared. The strong bands at

1150 A show this bandwidth dependence particularly, and a comparison of the

measured cross sections is shown in Figure 39. It will be noted that the peak

absorption cross sections obtained by Nakata et al. are almost 25% higher than

those obtained by Inn et al. Both groups of authors identify a continuum at

1115 A, but in view of the marked bandwidth dependence that their measurements would indicate, this hardly seems justified. A continuum has also been

ascribed to the minima absorption cross section as measured between 1100 A and

890 A. It is probable that most of this continuum can also be due to band overlap, although there is some evidence from fluorescence studies of D. L. Judge

WAVELENGTH ,A

Fig. 39. Comparison of measured total absorption cross section data for C02 between 1100

and 1140 A; solid line, Nakata et al. [1965] ; +, Inn et al. [1953].
PHOTOABSORPTION CROSS SECTIONS OF MOLECULES 65

(personal communication, 1969) that a dissociation continuum does begin at

around 1000 A, which gives rise to carbon monoxide in an excited state.

The absorption cross section between 580 A and 1000 A has been measured

by Nakata et al. [1965], Cook et al. [1966], and Cairns and Samson [1965]. A

detailed comparison of the cross-section curves of Nakata et al. and Cook et al. indicates that the instrumental bandwidth used by Cook et al. was greater than

that used by Nakata et al. However, the reader will find that such discrepancies

as there are cannot be explained entirely by bandwidth dependence, although

this phenomenon does undoubtedly exist. Where comparison can be made, the

data of Nakata et al. and those of Cairns and Samson are in reasonable agreement. For this reason, and because of their smaller bandwidth, it is recommended

that the data of Nakata et al. be preferred between 900 A and 1450 A until

higher-resolution results are available.

An example of the discrepancies that exist is shown in Figure 40, which

compares the experimental results obtained between 800 A and 900 A, a region

where there is a relatively smooth continuum. The curves appear to be displaced from one another, and the points of Cairns and Samson could support

either set of data. Figure 41 compares the absorption cross sections obtained by

these three groups between 600 A and 700 A. Again the three sets of data differ

WAVELENGTH ,A

Fig. 40. Comparison of measured total absorption cross section data for C02 between 800

and 900 A; solid line, Cook et al. [1966]; dashed line, Nakata et al. [1965]; +, Cairns and

Samson [1965].
66 R. D. HUDSON

WAVELENGTH ,A

Fig. 41. Comparison of measured total absorption cross section data for C02 between 600

and 700 A; solid line, Cook et al. [19661; dashed line, Nakata et al. [19651; +, Cairns and

Samson [19651.

markedly. Cairns and Samson have re-examined the wavelength interval between

200 A and 500 A [Cairns and Samson, 1966] and find that the data in their

former paper are consistent with their new results. The over-all picture of the

absorption cross section for carbon dioxide between 600 A and 900 A is one of

confusion, and this bears directly on the data to be used at wavelengths shorter

than 600 A. It seems obvious that other measurements will need to be made to

clarify the situation.

The photoionization yield has been measured between 200 A and 900 A by

Cairns and Samson [1965], Cook et al. [1966], Nakata et al. [1965], and Wairir

fan et al. [1955]. The yield in the regions of band structure shows fluctuations,

indicating that the probability of preionization in the bands is not 100%. This

could be because the bands are also subject to predissociation, but the possibility

of resonance fluorescence is not precluded. In Figures 42 and 43 results of the

yield measurements between 800 A and 900 A and between 600 A and 700 A are displayed. The yield measurements of Cairns and Samson and of Nakata et al. were obtained with the total-absorption technique, whereas Cook et al. and

Wainfan et al. used secondary standards to measure the absolute photon flux:

Cook et al. used a platinum photodiode, while Wainfan et al. used a sodiumsalicylate-coated photomultiplier. Cairns and Samson give an estimated error

of ±5%, Nakata et al. ±10%, Cook et al. ±5%, and Wainfan et al. ±15%.
PHOTOABSORPTION CROSS SECTIONS OF MOLECULES 67

Fig. 42. Comparison of measured photoionization yield data for C02 between 800 and 900

A; +, Wainjan et al. [19551; X, Cairns and Samson [19651; circled dot, Cook et al. [19661

triangle dot, Nakata et al. [19651.

Within these error limits the agreement between the four sets of data is not good.

The more accurate data should be those of Cairns and Samson and of Nakata

et al., indicating that the yield of C02 between 600 A and 700 A is probably

between 90 and 100%.

Relative ionization cross sections, i.e., the photoionization efficiency (PE),

have been measured by Dibeler and Walker [1967] and Weissler et al. [1959].

Dibeler and Walker used poor resolution, of the order of 2 A, and thus one

cannot directly compare their measurements with those of Nakata et al. or Cook et al. except in the region of continuous absorption. Between 800 A and

900 A the ionization-cross-section curves that have been obtained from both

the absorption measurements and the photoionization yield measurements of

Nakata et al. agree in shape best with the relative photoionization measurements

of Dibeler and Walker. However, Dibeler and Walker observe the onset of

dissociative ionization at 649 A, and below this wavelength any simple comparison is not possible. Thus, the PE data cannot resolve the discrepancies in

the absorption-cross-section data at 600 A.

H. Ozone, 03 Absolute absorption cross sections for ozone have been obtained between

1000 A and 3500 A. The spectrum can be conveniently divided into two regions,

the first (between 1000 A and 2000 A) consisting of broad bands overlying a
68 R. D. HUDSON

Fig. 43. Comparison of measured photoionization yield data for C02 between 600 and 680

A; +, Wainjan et al. [1955]; X, Cairns and Samson [1965]; circled dot, Cook et al. [1966];

triangle dot, Nakata et al. [1965].

possible continuum [Price and Simpson, 1941] ; the second, between 2000 A and

3500 A, consisting of the well-known Hartley bands and continuum between

2000 A and 3000 A, and the Huggins bands between 3000 A and 3500 A.

The absorption cross sections between 2000 A and 3500 A have been measured by many groups. Measurements using photoelectric techniques have been

made by Inn and Tanaka [1953] and by Griggs [1968], who used a continuum

light source; and by Hearn [1961] and DeMore and Raper [1964], who used a

line emission source. The reader is cautioned that the cross sections obtained

by these groups are not defined as in equation 1, the exponentiation being to

the base 10.

In all of these experiments great care was taken to ensure that the ozone

was of high purity and that the loss of ozone due to photodissociation during the

experiment did not falsify the final results. In Table 6, results obtained at selected

wavelengths by these groups are compared [after Griggs, 1968]. The agreement

is within ±2%, which is indicative of the great care that was taken in these measurements and in particular in the derivation of the ozone concentration. This

agreement does not preclude the possibility of a common systematic error in the

measurement of the ozone concentration.

Figures 44 and 45, taken from Griggs [1968], compare the data obtained
PHOTOABSORPTION CROSS SECTIONS OF MOLECULES 69

TABLE 6. Comparison of Cross Sections for Ozone between 2536 and 3022 A

[Cross Section, Mb(10-18 cm2 )]

Wavelength, A

Investigators 2536.5 2893.6 2967.3 3021.5

Inn and Tanaka [1953] 11.38 1.46 0.575 0.284

Hearn [1961] 11.45 1.47 0.596 0.286

DeMore and Raper [1964] 11.54 1.48 0.586

Griggs [1968] 11.27 1.48 0.599 0.284

by Griggs and by Inn and Tanaka [1953]. The agreement between these two

groups is within their quoted cross-section errors; however, there are some differences in the location of maxima and minima that are as large as 5 A, i.e.,

greater than the quoted wavelength errors. It is perhaps interesting to note that

this molecule, for which the most consistent set of data is available, is one of

the most reactive gases reviewed.

The region between 1050 A and 2000 A has been studied by only one group,

Tanaka et al. [1953]. This group used photoelectric techniques and estimated

the over-all error in their measurement to be ±10%. The relative cross section

WAVELENGTH ,A

Fig. 44. Comparison of measured total absorption cross section data for O3 between 2000

and 3000 A (from Griggs [19681); solid line, Griggs [19681; dashed line, Inn and Tanaka

[19531.
70 R. D. HUDSON

o

5if)

if)

if) O

ocu

o

i

Q_

DC

Oif) cQ

<

WAVELENGTH ,A

Fig. 45. Comparison, of measured total absorption cross section data for 03 between 3000

and 3600 A (from Griggs [1968]); solid line, Griggs [1968]; dashed line, Inn and Tanaka

[1953].

below 1000 A has been measured by Ogawa and Cook [1958], who used photographic techniques. They assign no error to their measurements.

7. Ammonia, NH3 The absorption spectrum of ammonia between 370 A and 2400 A consists

of a continuum between 370 A and 1000 A and strong band structure between

1000 A and 2400 A. The ionization edge of ammonia is at 1220 A. Photographic

spectra have been obtained for ammonia for wavelengths greater than 1000 A

by Duncan [1936a] . The region between 1000 A and 2400 A has been investigated

by Watanabe and Sood [1965], Watanabe [1954], Thompson et al. [1963], and

Tannenbaum et al. [1953].

The data of Watanabe [1954] and of Tannenbaum et al. [1953] are in rea- sonable agreement with the cross sections of Watanabe and Sood except at the

peaks and minima, where the smaller bandwidth used by Watanabe and Sood

yields higher peak values and lower minimum values. Watanabe and Sood

report that many of the peak absorption cross sections they measured showed an

apparent pressure dependence, indicating strong bandwidth dependence.
PHOTOABSORPTION CROSS SECTIONS OF MOLECULES 71

In the same way that underlying continua have been postulated for carbon

dioxide, continua have been postulated for ammonia centered at 1900 A, 1500

A, and 1350 A, respectively. The arguments in section III have indicated

that such a choice would be subject to doubt, and in the case of ammonia this

doubt is borne out by the measurement by Okabe and Lenzi [1967] of the

fluorescence from ammonia when it was irradiated with ultraviolet radiation

at selected wavelengths between 1080 and 2000 A. NH2 fluorescence in the 2Ai

state has a theoretical threshold at 2175 A, but Okabe and Lenzi observed the

onset of this radiation at 1640 A. This indicates that if there is an underlying

continuum between 1640 A and 2175 A, or if the bands seen between 1640 A

and 2175 A are broadened by predissociation, then the dissociation product

must be NH2 in the ground state. The NH2 fluorescence seen by Okabe and

Lenzi closely follows the band profiles from 1640 A to shorter wavelengths,

indicating that these bands predissociate to a dissociation level, leaving NH2 in the 2A± state plus atomic hydrogen in the ground state.

Between 500 A and 1000 A the absorption spectrum is continuous, and one

should expect good agreement between the various experimental measurements

that have been made. In Figure 46 a comparison is made between the results

of Metzger and Cook [1964a] and those of Watanabe and Sood [1965]. These

WAVELENGTH ,A

Fig. 46. Comparison, of measured total absorption cross section data for NIL between 500

and 1000 A; solid line, Metzger and Cook [1964a]; dashed line, Watanabe and Sood [1965];

+, Sun and Weissler [1955] ; X, Walker and Weissler [1955a],
72 R. D. HUDSON

results were obtained with the helium continuum light source at instrumental

bandwidths of 0.5 and 0.3 A, respectively. The results shown in Figure 46 are most disturbing, as the groups differ both in magnitude and shape as to the

resultant absorption cross section curve. In the region of overlap between

the data of Watanabe and those Watanabe and Sood, the cross sections of the

latter group are about 10% higher than those of the former. Sun and Weisseler

[1955] and Walker and Weissler [1955a] have also measured the total absorption cross section in this wavelength region, using a line emission light source. Their results are shown in Figure 46 as points. These authors estimate an aver- age error of ±10%, but for some lines the error is greater. Their data show some

scatter, but in general would tend to favor the results of Watanabe and Sood.

The photoionization yield for ammonia has been measured between 600 A

and 1000 A by Metzger and Cook [1964a], Watanabe [1954], Watanabe and

Sood [1965], and Walker and Weissler [1955a]. The data of Watanabe were

obtained by means of the total-absorption technique, with nitric oxide as the

standard. The yield for nitric oxide assumed by Watanabe has since been lowered

by 8% [see Watanabe et al., 1967] ; thus the yield measurements for ammonia

quoted by Watanabe should be lowered by this same amount. (Watanabe and

Sood also used the total-absorption technique, but with xenon as the standard.)

Metzger and Cook, as well as Walker and Weissler, used secondary standards:

the former used a platinum photodiode, and the latter used a sodium-salicylatecoated photomultiplier; and both quote an error of ±10%. Watanabe and Sood

do not give one. A comparison of the results for these groups between 600 A

and 1000 A is shown in Figure 47.

The shape of the yield curve obtained by Metzger and Cook differs in

shape and magnitude from that of Walker and Weissler and that of Watanabe

and Sood. Again this discrepancy is hard to account for, unless the yield of the

platinum photodiode used by Cook and Metzger changed as a result of being

immersed in the ammonia vapor. Photoionization efficiency (PE) measurements

have been made in ammonia by Dibeler et al. [1966], and the shape of this curve versus wavelength between 1250 and 800 A can be compared with the

photoionization-cross-section curves of Metzger and Cook and those of Watanabe

and Sood. Such a comparison favors most strongly the yield measurements of

Watanabe and Sood. The lower limit of 800 A to the comparison is set by the

observation by Dibeler et al. of the onset of dissociative ionization at this wavelength.

Watanabe and Sood identify a dissociation continuum between 700 A and

950 A. From the measurements of Beyer and Welge [1967], this continuum can

be ascribed to the process

NH3 -> NH2 + H {n = 2)

giving rise to the emission of Lyman-a radiation.

J. Hydrogen Sulfide, H2S

Only one paper giving the absorption and photoionization cross sections of

hydrogen sulfide has been published [Watanabe and Jursa, 1964], and this
PHOTOABSORPTION CROSS SECTIONS OF MOLECULES 73

WAVELENGTH , A

Fig. 47. Comparison of measured photoionization yield data for NH3 between 600 and 1000

A; solid line, Watanabe and Sood [1965]; dashed line, Metzger and Cook [1964ai] ; circled

dot, Walker and Weissler [1955a].

covers the wavelength range 1060 A to 2100 A. These measurements were made

by photoelectric techniques, with an instrumental bandwidth of 0.85 A. The

hydrogen sulfide gas was purified by repeated fractional distillation in a vacuum

system, and the purity was checked by the use of spectrometric analysis. The

total impurity was less than 0.05%. The pressure was measured with a consolidated micromanometer and an alphatron gage that had been calibrated

against a McLeod gage. The photoionization yields of hydrogen sulfide were

determined by comparison of ion currents of hydrogen sulfide and nitric oxide

obtained under the same conditions and then by using the known yield of nitric

oxide that had previously been obtained by Watanabe [1954]. In the more

recent paper by Watanabe et al. [1967], the ionization yield for NO has been

lowered by 8% from that obtained by Watanabe [1954] ; presumably these

measured yields for hydrogen sulfide should also be lowered by 8%.

In the interval between 1600 A and 2100 A the spectrum consists of a broad

continuum with almost no discrete structure, and the authors quote an experimental error of about 10%. The continuum apparently extends beyond 2100 A,

and it peaks at about 1960 A. It has been attributed to predissociation [Mulliken, 1935].

The absorption spectrum between 1200 A and 1600 A has been investigated
74 R. D. HUDSON

photographically by Price [1936] and by Bloch et al. [1936]. Price arranged

most of the prominent bands into four Rydberg series, converging to the first

ionization potential at about 1185 A. Price reports that the observed bands

between 1200 A and 1600 A are discrete, strong, and well separated. He observed

that the bands at shorter wavelengths became weaker and closer together, eventually merging into continuous absorption around 1190 A. It is not surprising,

therefore, that Watanabe and Jursa report considerable amounts of pressure

dependence for the peak absorption cross sections, which they ascribe to incomplete resolution. The data published for the peaks are the values obtained at the

lowest pressures used in their measurements, and they will probably be strongly

bandwidth-dependent. Experimental errors, other than at the peaks, are quoted

as from 10% to 20%. In view of the findings of Price, the existence of an

underlying continuum has not been proven at this time.

K. Nitrous Oxide, N2 0

The absorption spectrum of nitrous oxide between 600 A and 1000 A consists of a series of Rydberg bands superimposed on underlying ionization and

dissociation continua. Between 1080 A and 1200 A these bands become diffuse,

and at 1200 A an intense, sharp continuum, which has a maximum at 1285 A,

WAVELENGTH , A

Fig. 48. Comparison of measured total absorption cross section data for NaO between 1400

and 1600 A; solid line, Zelikoff et al. [1953] ; +, Romand and Mayence [1949].
PHOTOABSORPTION CROSS SECTIONS OF MOLECULES 75

has been observed. The photographic work of Duncan [1936b] has reported

this region to be perfectly smooth, with no structure. The photoelectric measurements of Zelikoff et al. [1953], however, report the location of several weak

diffuse bands on the long wavelength slope. Between 1380 A and 1620 A the

spectrum consists of an apparent continuum on which are superimposed 20 diffuse bands. Above 1600 A the absorption spectrum is continuous, rising to a maximum at 1800 A and then dropping off quickly toward longer wavelengths.

The wavelength interval between 1080 A and 2400 A has been investigated

by Romand and Mayence [1949], Zelikoff et al. [1953], and Thompson et al. [1963]. Figures 48 and 49 compare the absorption cross section obtained by these

three groups for the wavelength intervals 1380 A to 1600 A and 1600 A to 2100 A.

In general, the agreement between the three groups is well within the experimental errors that one might expect for these particular measurements. However, since none of them discuss their errors in detail, one should look upon the

composite curves of Figures 48 and 49 as indicating the present state of the

nitrous-oxide absorption cross section measurements.

In the region between 1080 A and 1380 A the data of Zelikoff et al. are the

only cross-section data available. The reader is referred, therefore, to their

paper for detailed curves. Absorption cross sections between 600 A and 1000 A

have been obtained by Cook et al. [1968] and by Walker and Weissler [1955c].

Fig. 49. Comparison of measured total absorption cross section data for N20 between 1600

and 2100 A; solid line, Zelikoff et al. [1953] ; +, Romand and Mayence [1949] ; X, Thompson

et al. [1963].
76 R. D. HUDSON

Cook et al. report finding no pressure dependence at the peaks in this wavelength

interval, although this still does not preclude the possibility of bandwidth

dependence. Figure 50 compares the data of Cook et al. and those of Walker

and Weissler. A comparison of the photoionization yield measured by these

groups is given in Figure 51.

A measurement of the photoionization efficiency (PE) has been made by

Dibeler et al. [1967] at an instrumental resolution of 2 A. These data were

obtained with the helium continuum light source. The relative ionization cross sections of Dibeler et al., however, can be compared to those of Cook et al. only

at wavelengths above. 800 A, because at this wavelength Dibeler et al. observed

the onset of dissociative ionization, the products being the molecular nitrogen

ion and atomic oxygen. The agreement between the shapes is not good.

Cook et al. distinguish several dissociation continua in this wavelength

interval, but a consideration of the bandwidth dependence of the yield data

would indicate that only one, extending from 800 to 950 A, can be definitely

identified. This has been shown by Cook et al., from fluorescence studies, to cor- respond to

N2 0 + kv-+ N2 (C3 nu) + 0(3p)

Fluorescence has also been observed, with an onset at 756 A, by Cook et al. and

lOOO 900 800 700 600

WAVELENGTH ,A

Fig. 50. Comparison, of measured total absorption cross section data for N20, between 600

and 1000 A; solid line, Cook et al. [1968] ; +, Walker and Weissler [1955c].
PHOTOABSORPTION CROSS SECTIONS OF MOLECULES 77

0 i i i i i i i 1000 900 800 700 600

WAVELENGTH ,A

Fig. 51. Comparison of measured photoionization yield data for N20 between 600 and 1000

A; solid line, Cook et al. [1968] ; +, Walker and Weissler [1955c].

by Judge et al. [1963] , corresponding to

N2 0 + hv-> N2 0

+ CA2 S+

) N2 0

+ C2 S+

) -> N2 0

+ (X1 S+

) + hv

L. Nitrogen Dioxide, NO2 The absorption spectrum of nitrogen dioxide between 600 A and 3000 A has

been obtained photographically by Price and Simpson [1941], by Mori [1954,

1955], and by Tanaka et al. [19605]. Absolute photoabsorption-cross-section

measurements, however, have been limited to wavelengths above 1080 A and

were obtained by two groups: Nakayama et al. [1959] and Hall and Blacet

[1952].

Nitrogen dioxide gas has the property that the dimer can be present even

at room temperature. As a consequence, it is necessary to consider the presence

of N204 as well as N02 in the gas sample. The absorption cross sections can be

obtained by solving the equation

In A0 /A = Nio-j. + N2

o- 2 ( 12) where subscripts 1 and 2 refer to the monomer and dimer, respectively. Both
78 R. D. HUDSON

groups obtained the ratios of the partial pressures of N204 to N02 from the

formula determined by Verhoek and Daniels [1931]. Nakayama et al. assign

an error of between 10% and 20% for their values below 1800 A, but higher

errors at longer wavelengths. Hall and Blacet discuss the cause of errors in their

measurements but do not give numbers.

These two sets of data overlap over a very limited wavelength range,

between 2400 A and 2700 A, but in this region of overlap the agreement is

within ±5%. Nakayama et al. observe that in general the absorption cross sec- tions do not show an apparent pressure dependence, but that in the regions between

1850 A and 2400 A some slight pressure effects were observed. However, this was

probably due to concentrations of N204 in their absorption cell. The region

between 1300 A and 1600 A is characterized by many bands that appear to be

comparatively sharp. These bands have been analyzed by Price and Simpson

and by Mori. Nakayama et al. postulate strong continua underlying these bands,

but for reasons explained in the introduction to this review, their presence is not

necessarily definite. Recent fluorescence studies by Lenzi and Okabe [1968] have

shown that dissociation of nitrogen dioxide does not give rise to electronically

excited nitric oxide above 1400 A, and then only weakly down to 1180 A, indicatWAVELENGTH ,A

Fig. 52. Comparison of measured total absorption cross section data for CH* between 1300

and 1600 A; solid line, Watanabe, Zelikoff, and Inn [1953]; +> Ditchburn [19551; X, Sun

and Weissler [1955] ; circled dot, Laujer and McNesby [1955].
PHOTOABSORPTION CROSS SECTIONS OF MOLECULES 79

ing that any apparent continua above 1400 A are probably due to predissociation broadening of the bands.

Photoionization yield measurements between the ionization edge at 1288 A

and 1080 A have been made by Nakayama et al. The yield data were obtained

by means of the total absorption technique; the standard gas used was nitric

oxide. The yields for nitric oxide were obtained from the paper of Watanabe

[1954]. The reader is cautioned that these nitric oxide data have since been

revised by Watanabe et al. [1967]. The estimated error for the yield measurements by Nakayama et al. is about 20% ; however, allowance had to be made

for an amount of nitric oxide that was present in their NO2 sample. The amount

of nitric oxide was determined by working at wavelengths between 1290 A and

1340 A, using the photoionization coefficient that had already been determined

by Watanabe et al. [19536]. Once the amount of impurity was known, a cor- rection was applied to the NO2 data for the region between 1200 A and 1290 A.

In some cases, the correction was about 50% of the total ion current, and the

authors indicate that the error in the absolute value of the photoionization yield

can be expected to be large.

For wavelengths less than 1000 A, the only data available are those obtained

for the photoionization efficiency (PE) with mass spectrometers. Three sets of

0

i i 1 1 1 i 1 i 1 1 1 i 1 1 1300 1200 1100 1000

WAVELENGTH ,A

Fig. 53. Comparison, of measured total absorption cross section data for CH4 between 1000

and 1300 A; solid line, Watanabe et al. [1953c]; Wilkinson and Johnston [1950]; X,

Ditchbum [1955] ; circled dot, Laujer and McNesby [1965].
80 R. D. HUDSON

data have been obtained: Dibeler et al. [1967], Weissler et al. [1959], and

Frost et al. [1962]. Dibeler et al. used the helium continuum light source in their

experiments at an instrumental resolution of 2 A. The other two groups used

line emission sources. Dibeler et al. and Weissler et al. observed N02

+ ions, NO+

, 0

+

, and N

+ ions; and they display the onsets in their papers. In general, where

such a comparison can be made, the agreement between these groups is good.

It is difficult to make these relative values absolute, since dissociative ionization gives rise to energetic ions, and this can change the collection efficiency of

the mass spectrometer for these ions.

M. Methane, CHh The absorption cross section of methane in the ultraviolet is essentially

continuous from the limits of measurement at 100 A to 1600 A. Beyond 1850 A,

the absorption cross section has fallen to less than 10-23 cm2 [Thompson et al.,

1963].

The absorption cross section of methane between 1000 A and 1600 A has

been measured by Wilkinson and Johnston [1950], Ditchburn [1955], Sun and

Weissler [1955], Laufer and McNesby [1965], and Watanabe et al. [1953c].

The latter results are contained in a technical report from the Air Force Cambridge Research Center. The results of these five groups are compared in Figures 52 and 53. The agreement between the data of Laufer and McNesby and

WAVELENGTH, A

Fig. 54. Comparison of measured total absorption cross section data for CH4 between 600

and 1000 A; solid line, Metzger and Cook [1964a] ; +> Ditchburn [1955] ; X, Rustgi [1964].
PHOTOABSORPTION CROSS SECTIONS OF MOLECULES 81

Watanabe et al. is extremely good in the region of overlap of these two measurements, agreeing within ±3%. The data of Ditchburn, of Sun and Weissler, and

of Wilkinson and Johnston show much more scatter, although the general shape

agrees with that of Watanabe et al. In the interval between 600 A and 1000 A, photoabsorption cross sections

have been measured by Metzger and Cook [1964a], Rustgi [1964], Schoen

[1962], and Wainjan et al. [1955], in addition to the measurements already

discussed by Ditchburn [1955] and Sun and Weissler [1955]. All of these additional measurements used photoelectric techniques. Since the absorption cross section would appear to be continuous in this spectral region, the bandwidths

that were used should not be important, and this should be one region where the

cross sections can be compared most favorably. Metzger and Cook [1964a],

Rustgi [1964], and Sun and Weissler [1955] do not give an estimate of the

accuracy of their photoabsorption cross sections. Wainjan et al. [1955] give

an error for each emission line that they used; the average error would appear

to be of the order of ±10%.

Figure 54 compares results for the absorption cross section of methane

between 600 A and 1000 A as obtained by Metzger and Cook [1964a], Ditchburn

[1955], and Rustgi [1964]. As can be seen, the over-all agreement between the

sets of data is within ±20%. The region between 20 A and 600 A has been measured by Ditchburn [1955], Rustgi [1964], and Lukirskii et al. [1964], and the

WAVELENGTH, A

Fig. 55. Comparison of measured total absorption cross section data for CH4 between 300

and 600 A; X, Rustgi [1964] ; +> Ditchburn [1955],
82 R. D. HUDSON

Fig. 56. Comparison, of measured total absorption section data for CH*, between 20 and 300

A; +, Rustgi [1964] ; X, Lukirskii et al. [1964].

results obtained by these groups are displayed in Figures 55 and 56. It is recommended that a smooth curve be drawn through these points to obtain an approximation to the photoabsorption cross section curve. The photoionization yield for methane has been measured between 600 A

and 980 A by Wainfan et al. [1955] and by Metzger and Cook [1964a], and a comparison of their results in this spectral range is shown in Figure 57. The data

of Metzger and Cook were obtained with the helium continuum light source,

whereas those of Wainfan et al. were obtained with a line emission source. Both

groups measured the absolute photon flux with secondary standards; Metzger

and Cook used a platinum photodiode, and Wainfan et al. used a sodiumsalicylate-coated photomultiplier. Metzger and Cook and Wainfan et al. both

estimate the error in their yield measurements to be ±10%. The data of Metzger

and Cook rise to a maxima of 80% at 800 A and then fall off to shorter wavelengths, whereas the data of Wainfan et al. rise to a value of 120% at 800 A

and from then remain reasonably constant at 100%. It seems likely from a comparison of these two sets of data that the photoionization yield lies between 80%

and 100% at 800 A and remains at this level to shorter wavelengths. Metzger

and Cook also observed fluorescence from methane between 1000 A and 800 A, the

fluorescent yield falling to zero at 780 A. Thus, either the dissociation con- tinuum that gives rise to this fluorescence is replaced by another continuum at
PHOTOABSORPTION CROSS SECTIONS OF MOLECULES 83

780 A, which then extends to shorter wavelengths; or the photoionization yield

becomes 100% at 780 A. The latter explanation seems more likely.

The photoionization efficiency has been measured by Dibeler, Krause, Reese,

and Harllee [1965] and by Chupka [1968] through the use of mass spectrometers.

The onset of ionization has been determined to be 980 A, and at this wavelength

the CH4

+ ion is the only one formed. At about 880 A, CH3+ is formed, and at

820 A CH2

+ is formed. Both of these latter ions must be produced in some dissociative ionization process. The data of Chupka were obtained at better resolution than those of Dibeler et al. (1.6 A compared to 2 A), and there appears to

be considerably more scatter on the data of Dibeler et al. than on the data of

Chupka. In general, however, the shapes of the relative photoionization curves

for the particular ions that these two groups obtained are in reasonable agreement within the experimental errors that one might expect. No comparisons can

usefully be made between the relative values and the absolute values of Metzger

and Cook or of Wainfan et al. N. Carbon Disulfide, CS2 Absolute photoabsorption and photoionization cross sections for carbon

disulfide have been limited to the wavelength region 600 A to 1000 A. This

WAVELENGTH ,A

Fig. 57. Comparison of measured photoionization yield data for CFL between 500 and 1000

A; solid line, Metzger and Cook [1964a] ; +, Wainfan et al. [1955].
84 R. D. HUDSON

region has been investigated photographically by Price and Simpson [1938] and

by Tanaka et al. [1960b]. These two groups observed a large number of bands

between 750 A and 1000 A, most of which have been identified by Tanaka et al. as Rydberg series leading to excited states of the ion, the ionization limits being

at 860 A and 760 A. The ionization potential would appear to be at 10.06 ev or 1232.5 A, and these Rydberg series appear to lie on a well-defined ionization

continuum.

Absolute photoabsorption cross sections and photoelectric yields have been

measured by Cook and Ogawa [19696]. Figure 58 shows a plot of the photoionization yield versus wavelength between 600 A and 1000 A. The yield would appear

to have a value of about 80% between 600 A and 800 A, although a consideration of the errors in this measurement does not preclude the possibility that the

photoionization yield is 100% in this spectral region. The structure in the yield

between 700 A and 1000 A indicates that although the bands preionize to some

extent, predissociation must also be taking place, or, of course, excitation to

some upper state of the CS|2 molecule. Although the yield at the peak of

the Rydberg band will be bandwidth-dependent, there is nevertheless some

preionization, as is indicated by the ion current curve shown by the authors.

Photoionization efficiency (PE) measurements using mass spectrometers

have been obtained for carbon disulfide at an instrumental resolution of 2 A

WAVELENGTH ,A

Fig. 58. Photoionization yield data for CS2 between 600 and 1000 A, of Cook and Ogawa

[1969&].
PHOTOABSORPTION CROSS SECTIONS OF MOLECULES 85

by Dibeler and Walker [1967]. Apart from systematic errors, the authors estimate that the uncertainty of the photoionization efficiency is of the order of 1%,

which is ascribed principally to the uncertainty of measuring the photon intensities. Unfortunately, there is no simple way in which the systematic error may

be estimated for this work. These authors observe the formation of CS2

+ ions,

S>2

+

, CS+

, S

+

, and C

+ ions. Photoionization efficiency curves are shown for CS2

+

, CS+

, and S

+

. The latter two curves will be subject to a large systematic error,

since the ions are formed by dissociative ionization and therefore will have a

finite amount of kinetic energy. There does not seem to be good agreement

between the relative ionization cross sections of Dibeler and Walker and the

absolute cross sections of Cook and Ogawa. Although some of this discrepancy

can be ascribed to the effects of dissociative ionization, it does appear that the

discrepancy is outside the errors one might ascribe to such a phenomenon.

Finally, the reader is cautioned when using the absolute data of Cook and

Ogawa that the absorption cross sections given in the vicinity of the Rydberg

bands could be subject to bandwidth dependence.

0. Sulfur Dioxide, S02 Absolute photoabsorption cross sections for sulfur dioxide have been limited

to the wavelength range 1050 A to 3400 A. In this spectral region sulfur dioxide

shows a complex absorption cross section, consisting of many band systems

overlying apparent continua. The bands have been classified by Duchesne and

Rosen [1947] and by Metropolis [1941]. Cross sections have been obtained by

Golomb et al. [1962], who studied the region between 1050 A and 1850 A, by

Warneck et al. [1964], who studied the spectral region between 1850 and 3150 A,

and by Thompson et al. [1963], who studied the region between 1850 and 3400

A. All three groups employed photoelectric techniques, placing the absorption

cell at the exit slit of the monochromator. Thompson et al. do not give their

instrumental bandwidth, but both Golomb et al. and Warneck et al. quote an

instrumental bandwidth of the order of 1 A. All three groups employed the

hydrogen-molecular discharge tube as their light source. Both Warneck et al. and Golomb et al. determined the purity of their gas samples by mass spectrometric techniques. They determined the impurity to be less than 1% and to consist mainly of molecular nitrogen or carbon monoxide, neither of which should

have interferred with the results of their absorption measurements.

Between 1060 A and 1350 A, Golomb et al. observed diffuse bands approaching the first ionization potential at about 1000 A. The bands in this region had

been previously investigated by Price and Simpson [1938]. The absorption

coefficients that were measured were independent of the pressure for some wavelengths; however, at the maxima of the bands, variations of up to 10% were

observed for an eightfold increase in the pressure. Thus, one must expect the

published results to be bandwidth-dependent. Between 1350 A and 1850 A,

Golomb et al. observed that the band maxima showed considerable pressure

dependence. The authors note that the figures they give reflect arbitrary straightline connections of the measured points and do not necessarily represent the true

shape of the absorption peaks. The authors quote an uncertainty for the absorp-
86 R. D. HUDSON

tion coefficient of about 10% where structure is displayed and less in the

structureless portions. However, in view of the fact that these absorption curves must be bandwidth-dependent, this error seems a little small.

Between 1850 A and 3400 A a comparison can be made between the absorption cross sections obtained by these three groups. In general, the agreement is good, indicating that the three measurements were probably obtained with the

same spectral bandwidth. The reader is cautioned that the results for sulfur

dioxide over most of the wavelength intervals discussed in this review will be

bandwidth-dependent.

P. Carbonyl Sulfide, COS

Absolute absorption cross sections for carbonyl sulfide have been obtained

between 600 A and 1700 A. This spectral region has been studied photographically

by Price and Simpson [1939] and by Tanaka et al. [19605]. These authors

identified fourteen progressions between 700 A and 1400 A, but they were unable

to establish a definite Rydberg series converging to the first ionization potential

at 1109.5 A. Tanaka et al. found four Rydberg series converging to a higher

ionization potential at 773 A.

Between 1070 A and 1700 A the only measurement of the total absorption

WAVELENGTH ,A

Fig. 59. Measured photoionization yield data for COS, between 600 and 1200 A ; curve 1, Cook and Ogawa [1969a] ; curve 2, Matsunaga and Watanabe [19671.
PHOTOABSORPTION CROSS SECTIONS OF MOLECULES 87

cross section available is that of Matsunaga and Wcitanabe [1967]. In the region

between 1410 A and 1700 A these authors found strong bands whose peak values

showed some apparent pressure effects, indicating that the shape of these bands

will be strongly bandwidth-dependent. For this reason, it is not felt that the

presence of underlying continua can be inferred at this time. Between 1100 A and

1410 A, the bands appear much sharper, and the authors report various degrees

of pressure dependence. They regard their quoted values for the peaks to be

semiquantitative only. The authors report that the cross sections between the

bands were independent of pressure and suggest the presence of one or more

dissociation continua. In view of the strong bandwidth dependence of the peaks,

the authors’ statement should be treated with caution. There appears to be no

real evidence for underlying continua.

Only one measurement of the absolute photoabsorption cross section between

600 A and 1000 A is available, that of Cook and Ogawa [1969a]. Between 1000

A and 770 A, Cook and Ogawa observed the four series of Rydberg bands seen by Tanaka et al. Since the bands appear to be superposed on an ionization

continuum and were seen in the ionization measurements, the authors concluded

that the bands are all preionized. Between 770 A and 600 A there is a relatively

WAVELENGTH ,A

Fig. 60. Comparison of measured total absorption cross section data for C2H2 between 1350

and 1550 A; solid line, Nakayama and Watanabe [1964]; dashed line, Moe and Duncan

[1952].
88 R. D. HUDSON

WAVELENGTH ,A

Fig. 61. Comparison of measured total absorption cross section data for C2H2 between 600

and 1100 A; curve 1, Metzger and Cook [1964]; curve 2, Nakayama and Watanabe [1964];

+, Walker and Weissler [19556].

smooth continuum with some ‘apparent emission’ lines. The ionization yield was

not observed to be larger than 75%, but it is likely that a probable error of at

least ±25% must be applied to this measurement. Thus, the authors’ conclusion

that a steady dissociation continuum is apparent in this wavelength interval is

open to some doubt. The photoionization yield of Matsunaga et al. and Cook

and Ogawa between 600 A and 1200 A is given in Figure 59.

The photoionization efficiency obtained with mass spectrometric techniques

has been measured by Dibeler and Walker [1967] at an instrumental bandwidth

of 2 A. There is essential agreement between these relative data and photoionization cross sections of Cook and Ogawa in the over-all shape of the cross- section curve.

Q. Acetylene, C2H2 Absolute absorption cross sections for acetylene have been obtained between

600 A and 2000 A. The absorption spectrum between 600 A and 1000 A consists

of ionization or dissociation continua with no overlying band structure. Between

1000 A and 1600 A the spectrum consists of band structure, which Price [1935]

and Wilkinson [1958] have interpreted as members of two Rydberg series with

their vibrational companion and two non-Rydberg-type bands. The spectral
PHOTOABSORPTION CROSS SECTIONS OF MOLECULES 89

region between 1550 A and 2000 A has been studied photographically by Herzberg [1931], Wilkinson [1958], and Price and Walsh [1945]. However, the complex spectrum of diffuse bands observed has not as yet been analyzed.

The absorption cross sections of acetylene between 1000 A and 1600 A have

been investigated by Nakayama and Watanabe [1964] and by Moe and Duncan

[1952]. At wavelengths less than 1350 A, Nakayama and Watanabe report that

the peak values showed an apparent pressure effect that indicates strong bandwidth dependence for the measured line shapes. Although this effect is not mentioned specifically by Moe and Duncan, they are concerned in their paper about

the bandwidth dependence of their results. A comparison of the results of these

two groups shows, however, that there are large discrepancies not only in these

regions of sharp bands but also where the bands are most diffuse, that is, between

1350 A and 1550 A. A comparison of the results in this region is given in Figure

60. Similar differences between the data of these two groups are also seen in a

comparison of their cross-section measurements between 1100 A and 1350 A.

The agreement at 1080 A where the spectrum is continuous is just within the

mutual experimental errors. The results of Nakayama and Watanabe agree

best, however, with isolated measurements using a line emission source obtained

by Walker and Weissler [19556].

IIOO lOOO 900 800 700 600

WAVELENGTH ,A

Fig. 62. Comparison of measured photoionization yield data for C2H2 between 600 and 1000

A; solid line, Metzger and Cook [1964a] ; +> Walker and Weissler [19556].
90 R. D. HUDSON

Q

1 I I I I I I 1 I I I I I I 1 J X I I 1100 1000 900 800 700

WAVELENGTH ,A

Fig. 63. Comparison of ionization cross section data for C2H2 between 700 and 1100 A; curve

1, normalized data of Botter et al. [1966a] ; curve 2, Nakayama and Watanabe [1964] ; curve 3,

Metzger and Cook [1964a] ; +, Walker and Weissler [19556].

The total absorption cross sections and photoionization yields have been

measured between 600 A and 1100 A by Metzger and Cook [1964a] and Walker

and Weissler [19556]. In Figure 61 a comparison is shown between the photoabsorption cross sections obtained by these two groups between 600 A and 1100

A. The data obtained by Nakayama for the short range between 1016 A and

1100 A are also shown. The agreement at 1100 A is not particularly good. In

Figure 62 the yield data between 600 A and 1100 A are compared. It will be

noticed that the agreement is reasonable at 700 A but gets worse at longer

wavelengths.

The photoionization efficiency, as measured by Botter et al. [1966a] at an

instrumental resolution of 2 A was obtained by use of both the helium and the

argon continuum light source. Photodetectors of tungsten, gold, and aluminum

that were standardized from photoionization efficiency curves obtained for the

inert gases were used. For this region the relative ionization cross sections

should be good. In Figure 63 the normalized data of this group are shown with

values of the photoionization cross section obtained by Metzger and Cook, the

data being normalized at 1000 A. The curve extends to 750 A only, since at this

point dissociative ionization takes place. The agreement between the two curves
PHOTOABSORPTION CROSS SECTIONS OF MOLECULES 91

is reasonable, although the data of Botter et al. indicate some structure at the

broad maxima at 925 A and 800 A.

R. Ethylene, 02^^

The absorption cross section for ethylene has been investigated between

600 A and 2000 A. In the spectral region between 600 A and 1181 A, the ionization potential, the spectrum consists of dissociation and/or ionization continua.

Between 1040 A and 2000 A band structure has been observed, and photographic

measurements have been made by Scheibe and Greineisen [1934], Price [1935],

Price and Tutte [1940], and Wilkinson and Mulliken [1955].

The absorption cross sections in the vicinity of the bands have been investigated by Zelikoff and Watanabe [1953] and by Wilkinson and Johnston [1950].

Wilkinson and Mulliken [1955] have stated that the data of Zelikoff and

Watanabe are to be preferred over the earlier work of Wilkinson and Johnston;

thus only the data of the former group have been considered in this review.

Zelikoff and Watanabe found no pressure dependence for the measured cross sections over the entire wavelength region between 1040 and 2000 A; however,

WAVELENGTH ,A

Fig. 64. Comparison of measured total absorption cross section data for C2H4 between 600

and 1200 A; curve 1, Metzger and Cook [1964a]; curve 2, Zelikoff and Watanabe [1953]; +,

Walker and Weissler [19555] ; X, Schoen [1962].
92 R. D. HUDSON

1200 1000 800 600 400

WAVELENGTH ,A

Fig. 65. Comparison of measured photoionization yield data for C2H4 between 400 and 1200

A; solid line, Metzger and Cook [1964a]; dashed line, Person and Nicole [1968]; +, Walker

and Weissler [19556] ; X, Schoen [1962].

in view of the band structure observed, the cross sections and line shapes are

likely to be bandwidth-dependent. The authors discuss the appearance of continua between 1090 A and 1360 A, but these comments should be treated with

some caution in light of previous discussions in this review. Recent measurements by Person and Nicole [1968], over the limited wavelength range 1050 A

to 1192 A, are in good agreement with those of Zelikoff and Watanabe.

Absorption cross sections between 600 A and 1000 A have been measured

by Walker and Weissler [19556], by Schoen [1962], and by Metzger and Cook

[1964a]. A comparison of the results of these three groups and those of Zelikoff

and Watanabe between 600 A and 1200 A is given in Figure 64. Within the

apparent scatter in the data that were obtained using the line emission light

sources, these sets of data would appear to agree, although it is obvious that the

experimental errors must be larger than the authors have quoted.

These three groups and Person and Nicole also measured the photoionization

yield, and their results are compared in Figure 65. All groups used a secondary

standard to determine the absolute photon flux. Metzger and Cook used a platinum photodiode; both Schoen and Walker and Weissler used a sodiumsalicylate-coated photomultiplier; and Person and Nicole used a nitric oxide
PHOTOABSORPTION CROSS SECTIONS OF MOLECULES 93

0

L ^-4 I I I I I ] l 1 l I I I I 1200 1100 1000 900

WAVELENGTH ,A

Fig. 66. Comparison of photoionization cross section data for GTL between 900 and 1200 A;

curve 1, Metzger and Cook [1964a]; curve 2, normalized data of Botter et al. [19666]; X,

Walker and Weissler [19556] ; +, Schoen [1962].

ionization chamber. Metzger and Cook assign a reliability of ±10%, to their data,

Walker and Weissler ±10%, Schoen ±5%, and Person and Nicole ±10%. The

data of Walker and Weissler and of Schoen would seem to be consistent, although

the data of Walker and Weissler have more scatter and differ from those of

Metzger and Cook, not only in magnitude, but also in shape, especially near

1000 A. The data of Person and Nicole (1050-1181 A) agree in shape with those

of Schoen, but have a higher magnitude.

The photoionization efficiency (PE) has been measured by Botter et al.

[19666] by the use of mass spectrometric techniques at an instrumental resolution of 2 A. Unfortunately, one can only compare these data with the ionization

cross sections of the groups discussed above at wavelengths longer than 950 A,

since Botter et al. see the onset of dissociative ionization at this wavelength.

Such a comparison is shown in Figure 66, where the relative ionization cross sections of Botter have been normalized at 900 A to a value of 3.5 X 10~17 cm2

.

S. Ethane, C2 H6 The absorption cross section of ethane has been investigated between 600

and 1200 A, over which spectral range the cross section has been observed to be

essentially continuous. Photoabsorption cross sections have been measured by
94

1.0

0.8

uu

7

o 0.6

z

o

a 0.4

V)

to

10o

CL°

0.2

0

1200 1100 1000 900 800 700 600

WAVELENGTH, A

Fig. 67. Comparison of measured total absorption cross section data for GHe between 600

and 1200 A; solid line, Metzger and Cook [1964a] ; -f, Schoen [1962].

1.5

a 1.0

lx! z

•—o

h-<

N• Z

0

X

01

0

1200 1100 1000 900 800 700 600 500

wavelength, a

Fig. 68. Comparison of measured photoionization yield data for GjH6 between 500 and

1050 A; solid line, Metzger and Cook [1964a] ; X, Schoen [1962].
PHOTOABSORPTION CROSS SECTIONS OF MOLECULES 95

Schoen [1962] and by Metzger and Cook [1964a]. Figure 67 shows a comparison

of the results obtained for the absorption cross section by these two groups.

There would appear to be essential agreement on the over-all shapes and cross sections for ethane. A comparison of the photoionization yield obtained by these

two groups is shown in Figure 68. Again, there is good agreement between these

groups except at shorter wavelengths, where the data of Schoen indicate 100%

yield, whereas those of Metzger and Cook indicate 80% yield.

The photoionization efficiency of ethane with mass spectrometric techniques

has been measured by Chupka and Berkowitz [1967]. This work was performed

at an instrumental band of 1.66 A, the photon flux being detected with a sodiumsalicylate-coated photomultiplier. This detector had previously been calibrated

and shown to have a sensitivity independent of wavelength in the region covered,

namely between 890 and 1000 A. The over-all shapes obtained by Schoen, by

Metzger and Cook, and by Chupka and Berkowitz cannot be compared easily in

this spectral range, since dissociative ionization was observed to begin at 1000 A.

Acknowledgments. The author would like to acknowledge the help of many of his colleagues in the preparation of this review. In particular, thanks are due to R. B. Cairns, who

helped to initiate the project, and to L. J. Kieffer. This review would not have been completed but for the conscientious and careful work of the Information Center staff, Elizabeth

Reynolds, Victoria Tempey, Lois Spangenberg, and Patricia Ruttenberg.

This review was written while the author was a joint JILA-LASP Visiting Fellow

(1968-1969) at the University of Colorado (NASA research grant NGL 06-003-052). The

review was supported by the National Bureau of Standards through the National Standard

Reference Data Program. The author is grateful for the extensive use of the facilities of the

JILA Information Center, which is supported in part by the National Bureau of Standards

through the National Standard Reference Data Program, and in part by the Advanced

Research Projects Agency of the Department of Defense, monitored by the Army Research

Office—Durham, under contract DA-31-124-ARO-D-139.

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(Received September 16, 1970.)
(cut

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FORM NBS-114A (1-71) u.s. dept, of comm. 1. PUBLICATION OR REPORT NO. 2. Gov t Accession

BIBLIOGRAPHIC DATA NSRDS-NBS 38 No* SHEET

3. Recipient s Accession No.

4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE

Critical Peview of Ultraviolet Photoabsorption Cross Sections

for Molecules of .-Astrophysical and Aeronomic Interest

5. Publication Date August 1971

6. Performing Organization Code

7. AUTHOR(S) n. P. Hudson

8. Performing Organization

9. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME AND ADDRESS

NATIONAL BUREAU OF STANDARDS

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20234

10. Project/Task/Work Unit No.

11. Contract/Grant No.

12. Sponsoring Organization Name and Address

Same

13. Type of Report & Period

Covered

\T A

- «i“Y 14. Sponsoring Agency Code

15. SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES

16. ABSTRACT (A 200-word or less factual summary of most significant information,

bibliography or literature survey, mention it here.)

If document includes a significant

This paper is devoted to a critical review of photoabsorption cross sections for

molecules of aeronomic and astrophysical Interest at wavelengths less than 3000 A.

A discussion of the relative merits of various experimental techniques is given along

with possible systematic and random errors that may be associated with them. The

problems in data, analysis associated with finite spectral bandwidths are reviewed,

with special emphasis on the interpretation of published absorption cross sections.

This review does not contain a complete set of cross -section- versus -wavelength

values for eadi molecule; the prepared figures are used to compare the results of

several determinations or to point out where difficulties of interpretation might

arise. However, references to all papers believed to contain the more reliable

data are riven.

17. KEY WORDS (Alphabetical order, separated by semicolons)

Aeronomic; .Astrophysical; Partial; Photoabsorption cross sections; Photodissociation;

Photoexcitation; Photoionization; Photon-scattering; Total; Ultraviolet cross sections.

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fyl UNLIMITED.

(THIS REPORT)

106

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