Description:
<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title>
<jats:p>We report new experimental data on the rotationally resolved room
temperature absorption spectrum of CH<jats:sub>2</jats:sub>O in the near infrared
(NIR) region between 6804 and 7051 cm<jats:sup>
<jats:italic>–</jats:italic>1</jats:sup>
(1470–1418 nm). Data have been obtained by cavity
enhanced absorption spectroscopy and complement the spectrum in the
wavelength range 6547–6804 cm<jats:sup>
<jats:italic>–</jats:italic>1</jats:sup>, obtained using
virtually the same experimental set-up and already published in an
earlier publication (Staak et al., J. Mol. Spectrosc. <jats:bold>229</jats:bold>
(2005) 115–121). Several vibrational combination bands occur in this
region and give rise to a congested spectrum and over 4500 lines
with cross-sections over 5 · 10<jats:sup>
<jats:italic>–</jats:italic>23</jats:sup> cm<jats:sup>2</jats:sup> were observed. Recent
experimental studies using NIR absorption spectroscopy for quantifying
CH<jats:sub>2</jats:sub>O in different chemical systems indicate that the
absorption cross-sections obtained by Staak et al. may have been
overestimated. The results of these experiments are reviewed here and
a recommendation for absolute absorption cross sections of
CH<jats:sub>2</jats:sub>O in the NIR range will be given. Absolute absorption
cross-sections stated here are corrected by the recommended factor.</jats:p>