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NASA NTRS1989

Does the far-infrared/radio correlation in spiral galaxies extend to the spatial domain

A comparison is made between the spatial distribution of the thermal far-infrared and non-thermal radio emission of nearby spiral galaxies. This is done in an attempt to improve our understanding of the well known correlation between the integrated Infrared Astronomy Satellite (IRAS) far-infrared and radio emission of spiral galaxies, e.g., de Jong et al., 1985, Helou et al., 1986. A physical explanation for this correlation is not straight forward due to the ambiguous nature of the origin of the far-infrared and radio, and the dependence of the non-thermal radio on each galaxies' magnetic field. It is now widely believed that the infrared emission detected in the longer wavelength IRAS wavebands (less than 50 microns) arises from at least two distinct sources, e.g., Cox et al., 1986, Persson and Helou, 1987: (1) a warm (T approx. 40 K) component associated with dense dust clouds heated by embedded O and B type stars; and (2) a cooler (T approx. 20 K) component associated with diffuse dust distributed throughout the interstellar matter (ISM) heated by the interstellar radiation field. A link between the warm component and the radio via electrons originating in Type II supernovae (the ultimate fate of many of the O and B type stars responsible for the warm component) has been suggested by numerous authors. The supporting evidence is scarce and inconclusive. Researchers have attempted to provide some insight into the problem by looking at the spatial distribution of the different components in some nearby spiral galaxies, starting with the face-on spiral M51. The source of the far-infrared data is the IRAS chopped photometric channel (CPC) instrument. Warm and cold far-infrared fluxes integrated over all wavelengths and the radio intensity at two frequencies are plotted against radius. All plots are to a common resolution of 100 arcsec, the radio data originating from the Cambridge Low Frequency Synthesis Telescope (151 MHz) and the VLA (1490 MHz, from Condon, 1987). The warm and cold regions are assumed to be representedby a single galactic wide temperatures of 50 K and 20 K respectively. A dust emissivity of 1 has been assumed. The form of the plots is little effected by varying these assumptions. The radio and cold component curves appear to follow each other most closely, in contradiction to the simple OB star/type II supernovae hypothesis.

Howarth, Neil A.↗

NASA NTRS1990

The effects of stellar age and metallicity on the infrared emission in the Magellanic Clouds

Infrared Astronomical Satellite (IRAS) maps of the Magellanic Clouds smoothed to a 5-min angular resolution and young star catalogs are used to study the effects of stellar age and metallicity on the infrared emission of these galaxies. The construction of the stellar catalog is described, along with the conversion from the observational to the theoretical temperature-luminosity diagram and the derivation of stellar ages. The infrared color-color diagram of the Clouds is investigated, and the effect of stellar age on their infrared emission is investigated. The effects of the UV radiation field and of the metallicity on the infrared emission are also considered with emphasis on the influence of such parameters as gas-to-dust ratio on the infrared colors. It is shown that the far-infrared fluxes of individual pixels in the Clouds' maps follow the same behavior as the integrated emission of normal galaxies in the IRAS color-color diagram and that the precise position of a particular pixel depends on the age of the youngest star in that pixel.

Sauvage, M.↗

NASA NTRS1991

The properties of infrared galaxies in the local universe

The 60-micron selected IRAS Bright Galaxy Sample is used as a starting point to derive additional complete flux-limited samples of extragalactic objects at 12, 25, and 100 microns. With these complete samples the luminosity functions at all IRAS wavelengths are derived for the local universe. These luminosity functions are used to determine the infrared emission of the local universe. The maximum in the energy output of galaxies occurs at 100 microns. The infrared emission of galaxies at 12 and 25 micron represents about 30 percent of the total infrared luminosity in the local universe. The mean infrared colors of infrared selected galaxies vary systematically with infrared luminosity; the ratio S sub nu (60 microns)/S sub nu(100 microns) increases and S sub nu(12 microns)/S sub nu(25 microns) decreases with increasing infrared luminosity.

Soifer, B. T.↗

NASA NTRS1994

IRAS F15307+3252: A hyperluminous infrared galaxy at z = 0.93

A new hyperluminous infrared galaxy in the Infrared Astronomy Satellite (IRAS) Faint Source Catalog is identified at a redshift of 0.93. This object has a bolometric luminosity of approximately 10(exp 13) solar luminosity, a very large ratio of infrared-to-optical luminosity, warm dust emission, a ratio of infrared-to-radio flux densities consistent with other infrared galaxies, and an optical spectrum similar to a Seyfert 2 galaxy. IRAS F15307+3552 shares these characteristics and its radio-to-optical spectral energy distribution with two other infrared galaxies, F10214+4724 and P09104+4109. Discovery of a third object with these properties defines an extreme subclass of ultraluminous galaxies powered primarily by star formation. The systematic method used to find this object begins the process of determining the space density of these most luminous examples of the infrared galaxy phenomenon.

Cutri, Roc M.↗

NASA NTRS1994

Two views of the Andromeda Galaxy H-alpha and far infrared

A complete H-alpha image of the Andromeda Galaxy (M31) is presented allowing the first direct measurement of the total H-alpha luminosity which is (7.3 +/- 2.4) x 10(exp 6) solar luminosity. The H-alpha emission is associated with three morphologically distinct components; a large scale star-forming ring, approximately 1.65 deg in diameter, contributing 66% of the total H-alpha emission, a bright nucleus contributing 6% of the total H-alpha emission with the remaining 28% contributed by a previously unidentified component of extended and filamentary H-alpha emission interior to the star forming ring. The correspondence between the H-alpha image and the Infrared Astronomy Satellite (IRAS) far-infrared high resolution image is striking when both are convolved to a common resolution of 105 arcsec. The close correspondence between the far-infrared and H-alpha images suggests a common origin for the two emissions. The star-forming ring contributes 70% of the far-infrared luminosity of M31. Evidence that the ring emission is energized by high mass stars includes the fact that peaks in the far-infrared emission coincide identically with H II regions in the H-alpha image. In addition, the far-infrared to H-alpha luminosity ratio within the star-forming ring is similar to what one would expect for H II regions powered by stars of spectral types ranging between O9 and B0. The origin of the filamentary H-alpha and far-infrared luminosity interior to the star-forming ring is less clear, but it is almost certainly not produced by high mass stars.

Devereux, Nicholas A.↗

NASA NTRS1995

Ultraluminous infrared galaxies and the radio-optical correlation for quasars

Through analysis of available optical spectrophotometric data and radio flux density measurements in the literature, it is demonstrated that a good correlation exists between the radio power and bolometric luminosity of the optically-selected OSOs in the Bright Quasar Sample (BOS) of Schmidt and Green (1983). We have recently used VLBI measurements of a sample of ultraluminous infrared galaxies to infer the likely existence of radio-quiet Active Galactic Nuclei (AGNs) deeply enshrouded in dust within their nuclei (Lonsdale, Smith, and Lonsdale 1993). We employ the radio-bolometric luminosity correlation for the BQS quasars to test whether these hypothetical buried AGNs can be energetically responsible for the observed far-infrared luminosities of the ultraluminous infrared galaxies. The ultraluminous infrared galaxies are shown to follow the same relation between radio core power and bolometric luminosity as the radio-quiet QSOs, suggesting that buried AGNs can account for essentially all the observed infrared luminosity, and raising the possibility that any starburst which may be in progress may not be energetically dominant. The broader implications of the radio-optical correlation in quasars for AGNs and luminous infrared galaxy models and the use of radio astronomy as a probe of the central powerhouse in radio quiet AGNs and luminous infrared galaxies are briefly discussed.

Lonsdale, Carol J.↗

NASA NTRS1996

Temperature, Pressure, and Infrared Image Survey of an Axisymmetric Heated Exhaust Plume

The focus of this research is to numerically predict an infrared image of a jet engine exhaust plume, given field variables such as temperature, pressure, and exhaust plume constituents as a function of spatial position within the plume, and to compare this predicted image directly with measured data. This work is motivated by the need to validate computational fluid dynamic (CFD) codes through infrared imaging. The technique of reducing the three-dimensional field variable domain to a two-dimensional infrared image invokes the use of an inverse Monte Carlo ray trace algorithm and an infrared band model for exhaust gases. This report describes an experiment in which the above-mentioned field variables were carefully measured. Results from this experiment, namely tables of measured temperature and pressure data, as well as measured infrared images, are given. The inverse Monte Carlo ray trace technique is described. Finally, experimentally obtained infrared images are directly compared to infrared images predicted from the measured field variables.

Nelson, Edward L.↗

NASA NTRS1998

Spectral Irradiance Calibration in the Infrared: 5-14 Micron Spectroscopy of the Asteroids Ceres, Vesta, and Pallas - 8

We describe our efforts to seek "closure" in our infrared absolute calibration scheme by comparing spectra of asteroids, absolutely calibrated through reference stars, with "standard thermal models" and "thermophysical models" for these bodies. Our use of continuous 5-14 microns airborne spectra provides complete sampling of the rise to, and peak, of the infrared spectral energy distribution and constrains these models. Such models currently support the absolute calibration of the Infrared Space Observatory Imaging Photopolarimeter (ISOPHOT) at far-infrared wavelengths (as far as 300 microns) and contribute to that of the Mid-Infrared Spectrometer on the Infrared Telescope in Space in the 6 - 12 microns region. The best match to our observed spectra of Ceres and Vesta is a standard thermal model using a beaming factor of unity. We also report the presence of three emissivity features in Ceres that may complicate the traditional model extrapolation to the far-infrared from contemporaneous ground-based N-band photometry that is used to support calibration of, for example, ISOPHOT. While identification of specific materials that cause these features is not made, we discuss families of minerals that may be responsible.

Cohen, Martin↗

NASA NTRS2001

Far-Infrared Extragalactic Surveys: Past, Present, and Future

As much as one third of the luminosity of the local universe is emitted in the far infrared. In order to understand the history of energy release in the universe, it is crucial to characterize this rest-frame far-infrared contribution from the present back to the era of initial galaxy formation. Over the redshift range from 0 to 10, this energy is received in the 80 micrometers to 1 mm spectral region. In the 1980's the Infrared Astronomy Satellite (IRAS) all-sky survey provided the first comprehensive view of the far infrared emission from the local universe. The diffuse background measurements by Cosmic Background Explorer Satellite (COBE) have provided constraints on the integral contributions from the high redshift universe. In the past five years, submillimeter measurements made using the SCUBA instrument have revealed powerful high redshift sources. To develop a clear history of energy release in the universe, we need numbers and redshifts of representative populations of energetically important objects. The near future will bring the Space Infrared Telescope Facility Multiband Imaging Photometer (SIRTF)(MIPS) survey, which will cover about 100 square degrees at wavelengths out to 160 micrometers, providing a large sample of energetically important galaxies out to z of approx.3. In 2005, the Japanese IRIS survey will provide a 160 micrometers full sky survey, which will provide larger samples of the high z galaxy populations and will find intrinsically rare high luminosity objects. The SPIRE instrument on the FIRST facility will extend these surveys to longer wavelengths, providing a view of the universe at higher redshifts in three spectral bands. A concept for an all-sky submillimeter survey is under development, called the Survey of Infrared Cosmic Evolution (SIRCE). With a 2 m cryogenic telescope, it can map the entire sky to the confusion limit in the 100 to 500 micrometers range in six months. This survey will provide photometric redshifts, number counts, and will find the most luminous objects in the universe. In the next decade, the opening of the submillimeter, combined with the near infrared capability of NGST will provide us with a clear picture of energy release in the early universe.

Moseley, Samuel H., Jr.↗

NASA NTRS2003

The Single Aperture Far-Infrared (SAFIR) Observatory and its Cryogenic Detector Needs

The development of a large, far-infrared telescope in space has taken on a new urgency with breakthroughs in detector technology and recognition of the fundamental importance of the far-infrared spectral region to questions ranging from cosmology to our own Solar System. The Single Aperture Far-InfraRed (SAFIR) Observatory is l0m-class far-infrared observatory that would begin development later in this decade to meet these needs. SAFIR's science goals are driven by the fact that youngest stages of almost all phenomena in the universe are shrouded in absorption by and emission from cool dust that emits strongly in the far-infrared, 20 microns - 1mm. Its operating temperature (4 K) and instrument complement would be optimized to reach the natural sky confusion limit in the far-infrared with diffraction-limited performance down to at least the atmospheric cutoff at 40 microns. This would provide a point source sensitivity improvement of several orders of magnitude over that of SIRTF. In order to achieve this, large arrays of detectors with NEPs ranging from a few to a hundred zeptowatts/sqrt(Hz) are needed. Very low temperature superconducting transition edge sensors and far-infrared "photon counting" detectors are critical technologies requiring development for the SAFIR mission.

Benford, Dominic J.↗

NASA NTRS2004

Upcoming and Future Missions in the Area of Infrared Astronomy: Spacecraft and Ground-based Observations

The IRIS instrument on the Voyager spacecrafts made major discoveries with regard to the giant planets, their moons and rings and paved the way for future infrared observations for planetary missions within our solar system. The CIRS instrument of Cassini with much greater spectral-spatial resolution and sensitivity than that provided by IRIS is now rapidly approaching the Saturnian system with orbit insertion on July 1, 2004, for which CIRS is expected to provide an order of magnitude advance beyond that provided by IRIS. The Mars program is also presently dominated by infrared observations in the near to mid-infrared spectral bands for missions such as Mars Global Surveyor and its TES instrument and Odyssey with its THEMIS instrument. In the case of Earth science we have such missions as TIMED, which makes infrared observations of the thermosphere using the SABER instrument. With the newly formed New Frontiers Program we have the opportunity for $650M missions such as Kuiper Belt-Pluto Explorer and Jupiter Polar Orbiter with Probes. Under the Flagship line, once per decade, we have the opportunity for $1B missions for which Europa is presently being considered; for this mission infrared measurements could look for hot spots within the maze of cracks and faults on Europa s surface. On Kuiper Belt- Pluto there is an imaging near-IR spectrometer called LEISA. Another mission on the horizon is Titan Orbiter Aerorover Mission (TOAM) for which there is planned a state-of-art version of CIRS called TIRS on the orbiter that will map out the atmospheric composition with unprecedented wavelength coverage and spectral-spatial resolution. This instrument will also provide temperature maps of the surface of Titan to look for hot spots where life may form. On the same mission there will be a descent imager on the Aerorover (i.e., balloon) similar to that provided by LEISA on the Pluto mission to provide compositional-topographical maps of Titan s surface. Other future mission will also be discussed. Improved thermal detectors could have important applications in solar physics, specifically in the detection of far-IR synchrotron emission from energetic electrons in solar flares. For infrared astronomy we have missions like SIRTF and JWST, which will cover the spectral range from near-IR to far-IR in the search and probing of both new and old planetary systems in our galaxy and the measurement of the most distant galaxies of our universe. SIRTF is scheduled to be launched in August 2003, while JWST will be launched next decade. Another mission is TPF, which will use interferometer techniques at infrared wavelengths to search for planetary systems beyond 2010. With regard to ground based telescopes we have, for example, the twin 10 meter Keck telescopes and the IRTF telescope at Mauna Kea. The Keck telescopes are presently using interferometer techniques. Over the next several decades there are plans for 50 meter to 200 meter telescopes providing near-IR to far-IR measurements with the eventual plan to combine all telescopes using interferometer techniques to provide unprecedented spectral-spatial resolution and sensitivity.

Sittler, E. C., Jr.↗

NASA NTRS2005

Infrared Extinction and the Initial Conditions for Star and Planet Formation

This grant funded a research program to use infrared extinction measurements to probe the detailed structure of dark molecular clouds and investigate the physical conditions which give rise to star and planet formation. The goals of the this program were to: 1) acquire deep infrared and molecular-line observations of a carefully selected sample of nearby dark clouds, 2) reduce and analyze the data obtained in order to produce detailed extinction maps of the clouds, 3) use the results to measure and quantitatively describe the physical conditions of the dense gas and dust that produce stars and their accompanying planetary systems in molecular clouds. The goals of this project were met and exceeded as described below. 1) The infrared data for the project were obtained in a number of observing runs using the 3.5-meter NTT and 8-meter VLT telescopes of the European Southern Observatory in Chile and the 1.2-meter telescope of the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory in Arizona, the 1 0-meter Keck telescope in Hawaii, the 6.5-meter MMT of the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory in Arizona, and the NASA Hubble Space Telescope. The molecular-line data was obtained in three runs using the IRAM 30-meter telescope in Spain and one run with the ESO-15 meter millimeter-wave telescope in Chile. Millimeter-wave continuum measurements were obtained with the 15-meter JCMT in Hawaii. 2) Considerable effort was expended to reduce the infrared imaging observations including the development of custom software to produce high quality photometry and source astrometry. All the millimeter-line data was reduced using standard reduction routines. The highlights of the infrared analysis were the production of detailed extinction maps and the construction of profiles of the density structure of the B68, Coalsack, B335 and Lupus clouds. 3) The principal scientific accomplishments of this research program include the following: We were able to use our infrared observations to determine the density structure of the B68 cloud to an unprecedented level of precision. This lead to a major breakthrough in the study of molecular cloud structure. For the first time we have been able to characterize the structure of a dark cloud in a detail only exceeded by that known for a star. We determined that the cloud's structure is exquisitely well described by the equations of a Bonner-Ebert sphere (a pressure confined isothermal sphere). We were able to show that the cloud is very nearly in equilibrium with the internal thermal pressure of the cloud balancing gravity and the external pressure of the surrounding interstellar medium. We were able to determine for the first time the gas-to-dust ratio in a dense cloud core. We also demonstrated a new method to determine extremely precise distances to such clouds by combining knowledge of the properties of Bonner-Ebert Spheres with our infrared and millimeter-wave observations.

Lada, Charles J.↗

NASA NTRS2015

Characterizing Debris in the Infrared with UKIRT

The United Kingdom Infrared Telescope (UKIRT) has been a major asset for the NASA Orbital Debris Program Office (OPDO) since March, 2014. With the UKIRT current contract coming to an end at the finish of FY15, there is a golden opportunity for this community to fund and gain access to UKIRT as an SSA asset through HCAR (Hawaii Center for Astronautics Research). UKIRT is the only telescope on Mauna Kea dedicated to infrared bands. Spectral coverage ranges from the near- (0.8-5μm) to the mid- to far-infrared (8-25 micrometer) regime. To date, debris observations have been collected with three instruments. Near-Infrared photometry with ZYJHK filters has been obtained with the Wide Field Camera (WFCam). Near-Infrared (1-2.5 micrometer) spectra are the focus of observations taken with the UKIRT Imager SpecTrometer (UIST). And Michelle (Mid Infrared escCHELLE) is a thermal imager-spectrometer designed for the 8-25 micrometer regime. With 35% of the telescope time allocated to ODPO, a very steady stream of data has been collected on a variety of debris targets using all the above instrumentation. Initial results from WFCam were discussed at AMOS and NISOI including analyses on IDCSPs, the MSG cooler and baffle covers. The cylindrical HS-376 buses were the focus of recent WFCam runs. Summary analyses of these works will be presented. Focus will be given to initial results of the data collected with the Cassegrain instruments, UIST and Michelle. UIST spectra were collected in September 2014, March and April 2015. Targets included a suite of HS-376 buses, well suited to investigate the signatures of blue solar panels; several dead satellites with solar array wings; Titan 3C transtage debris; the CTA Array cover, and others. In addition, Michelle mid-IR photometry was collected on a select few objects during the April 2015 run. Using WFCam, UIST and Michelle the Lockheed Martin has been observing operational satellites in the near- mid and far-infrared regime in an attempt to understand the health and status of several satellites that are based on the Lockheed Martin A2100 bus. The potential insights into debris characterization using this range of assets, and early analyses will be discussed, as well as the opportunities possible for utilizing UKIRT as an SSA asset.

Lederer, S. M.↗

DOE OSTI2014

A far-infrared spectral sequence of galaxies: trends and models

We present a framework for the interpretation of the far-infrared spectra of galaxies in which we have expanded the model parameters compared with previous work by varying the ionization parameter U, column density N(H), and gas density at the cloud face n(H{sup +}) for a central starburst or active galactic nucleus (AGN). We compare these models carried out with the Cloudy spectral synthesis code to trends in line-to-total far-infrared luminosity ratios, far-infrared fine-structure line ratios, IRAS colors, and OH and H{sub 2}O column densities found in the well-studied sample of 10 nearby galaxies from the IRAS Bright Galaxy Sample with infrared luminosities greater than 10{sup 10} L {sub ☉} and IRAS 60 μm fluxes equal to or greater than that of the nearby ultraluminous infrared galaxy (ULIRG) Arp 220. We find that the spectral sequence extending from normal starburst-type emission-line-dominated spectra to ULIRG-type absorption-dominated spectra with significant absorption from excited levels can be best explained by simultaneously increasing the hydrogen column density, from as low as 10{sup 21} cm{sup –2} to as high as 10{sup 24.8} cm{sup –2} or greater, and the ionization parameter, from as low as 10{sup –4} to as high as 1. The starburst models best reproduce most of the sequence, while AGN models are somewhat better able to produce the high OH and H{sub 2}O column densities in Arp 220. Our results suggest that the molecular interstellar medium in ULIRG-like, molecular-absorption-dominated systems is located close to and at least partially obscures the source of power throughout much of the far-infrared, which must be taken into account in order to properly interpret diagnostics of both their sources of power and of feedback.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

DOE OSTI2019

Ethane in Titan’s Stratosphere from Cassini CIRS Far- and Mid-infrared Spectra

The Cassini Composite Infrared Spectrometer (CIRS) observed thermal emission in the far- and mid-infrared (from 10 to 1500 cm{sup −1}), enabling spatiotemporal studies of ethane on Titan across the span of the Cassini mission from 2004 through 2017. Many previous measurements of ethane on Titan have relied on modeling the molecule’s mid-infrared ν {sub 12} band, centered on 822 cm{sup −1}. Other bands of ethane at shorter and longer wavelengths were seen, but have not been modeled to measure ethane abundance. Spectral line lists of the far-infrared ν {sub 4} torsional band at 289 cm{sup −1} and the mid-infrared ν {sub 8} band centered at 1468 cm{sup −1} have recently been studied in the laboratory. We model CIRS observations of each of these bands (along with the ν {sub 12} band) separately and compare the retrieved mixing ratios from each spectral region. Nadir observations of the ν {sub 4} band probe the low stratosphere below 100 km. Our equatorial measurements at 289 cm{sup −1} show an abundance of (1.0 ± 0.4) × 10{sup −5} at 88 km from 2007 to 2017. This mixing ratio is consistent with measurements at higher altitudes, in contrast to the depletion that many photochemical models predict. Measurements from the ν {sub 12} and ν {sub 8} bands are comparable to each other, with the ν {sub 12} band probing an altitude range that extends deeper in the atmosphere. We suggest that future studies of planetary atmospheres may observe the ν {sub 8} band, enabling shorter wavelength studies of ethane. There may also be an advantage to observing both the ethane ν {sub 8} band and nearby methane ν {sub 4} band in the same spectral window.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

DOE OSTI2015

Dy{sup 3+}-doped Ga–Sb–S chalcogenide glasses for mid-infrared lasers

Highlights: • Novel Ga–Sb–S chalcogenide glasses doped with Dy{sup 3+} ions were synthesized. • The glasses show good thermal stability and excellent infrared transparency. • The glasses show low phonon energy and intense mid-infrared emissions. • The mid-infrared emissions have high quantum efficiency. • The mid-infrared emissions have large stimulated emission cross sections. - Abstract: Novel Ga–Sb–S chalcogenide glasses doped with different amount of Dy{sup 3+} ions were prepared. Their thermal stability, optical properties, and mid-infrared (MIR) emission properties were investigated. The glasses show good thermal stability, excellent infrared transparency, very low phonon energy (∼306 cm{sup −1}), and intense emissions centered at 2.95, 3.59, 4.17 and 4.40 μm. Three Judd–Ofelt intensity parameters (Ω{sub 2} = 8.51 × 10{sup −20} cm{sup 2}, Ω{sub 4} = 2.09 × 10{sup −20} cm{sup 2}, and Ω{sub 6} = 1.60 × 10{sup −20} cm{sup 2}) are obtained, and the related radiative transition properties are evaluated. The high quantum efficiencies and large stimulated emission cross sections of the MIR emissions (88.10% and 1.11 × 10{sup −20} cm{sup 2} for 2.95 μm emission, 75.90% and 0.38 × 10{sup −20} cm{sup 2} for 4.40 μm emission, respectively) in the Dy{sup 3+}-doped Ga–Sb–S glasses make them promising gain materials for the MIR lasers.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

DOE OSTI2020

Synchrotron infrared nano-spectroscopy and -imaging

Infrared (IR) spectroscopy has evolved into a powerful analytical technique to probe molecular and lattice vibrations, low-energy electronic excitations and correlations, and related collective surface plasmon, phonon, or other polaritonic resonances. In combination with scanning probe microscopy, near-field infrared nano-spectroscopy and -imaging techniques have recently emerged as a frontier in imaging science, enabling the study of complex heterogeneous materials with simultaneous nanoscale spatial resolution and chemical and quantum state spectroscopic specificity. Here, we describe synchrotron infrared nano-spectroscopy (SINS), which takes advantage of the low-noise, broadband, high spectral irradiance, and coherence of synchrotron infrared radiation for near-field infrared measurements across the mid- to far-infrared with nanometer spatial resolution. This powerful combination provides a qualitatively new form of broadband spatio-spectral analysis of nanoscale, mesoscale, and surface phenomena that were previously difficult to study with IR techniques, or even any form of micro-spectroscopy in general. We review the development of SINS, describe its technical implementations, and highlight selected examples representative of the rapidly growing range of applications in physics, chemistry, biology, materials science, geology, and atmospheric and space sciences.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗

DOE OSTI2019

Analysis of Water Vapor Absorption in the Far-Infrared and Submillimeter Regions Using Surface Radiometric Measurements From Extremely Dry Locations

The second Radiative Heating in Underexplored Bands Campaign (RHUBC-II) was conducted in 2009 by the U.S. Department of Energy Atmospheric Radiation Measurement program to improve water vapor spectroscopy in the far-infrared spectral region. RHUBC-II was located in an extremely dry region of Chile to ensure very low opacities in this spectral region. Spectrally resolved measurements by a far-infrared spectrometer and a submillimeter interferometer from RHUBC-II are compared with line-by-line radiative transfer model calculations. Water vapor amounts and temperatures used in the calculations come from collocated radiosondes, with extensive adjustments to correct for issues due to the campaign's dry conditions and mountainous terrain. A reanalysis is also performed of far-infrared measurements taken at the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement North Slope of Alaska site before and during the first RHUBC campaign. These analyses determine that differences between the measurements and model calculations using existing spectroscopic parameters are significant in the far-infrared and submillimeter regions, leading to the derivation of improved water vapor continuum absorption coefficients and air-broadened widths of 74 water vapor lines. The foreign continuum is increased by more than 50% in part of the far-infrared and the widths of more than 20 lines are changed by more than 10%. The uncertainty in the foreign continuum coefficients is estimated as greater than 20% in some spectral regions, primarily a consequence of the uncertainty in the specification of water vapor. The improved far-infrared spectroscopic parameters have a notable impact on calculated spectral radiances and a modest impact on broadband radiative fluxes and heating rates.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗