The water vapor self-continuum absorption at 8.45 m by optical feedback cavity ring down spectroscopy

The accurate knowledge of the water vapor absorption in the 10 mu m atmospheric window is of strong importance because this spectral range coincides with the maximum black body emission of Earth. Presently, the water vapor self-continuum is measured at the 1185 cm -1 (8.45 mu m) spectral point, located in the most transparent interval of the 10 mu m window. Measurements are performed at four temperatures ranging from 296 to 308 K using a newly developed Optical Feedback Cavity Ring Down Spectrometer (OF-CRDS). Self-continuum cross-sections, CS, are derived from the pressure dependence of the absorption during pressure ramps of pure water vapor up to 18 mbar. From the quadratic pressure dependence observed for the absorption coefficient at each temperature, we derived the value of the cross-section (CS = 0.996(12) x 10-22 cm2 molecule- 1atm- 1 at 296 K) and its temperature dependence. These results are discussed in relation with previous literature measurements available in the 10 mu m window. Our cross-section is found about 20% smaller than the MT_CKD_4.1 value and the available experimental works seem to indicate that the MT_CKD_4.1 temperature dependence is overestimated.