Knowledge Bank

More than 3000 infrared solar spectra were recorded on 4/29-5/1/85 at $-0.01cm-1$ resolution by the ATMOS (Atmospheric Trace Molecule Spectroscopy) experiment during the Spacelab 3 shuttle mission. About 2000 of these spectra are high sun scans; the remaining spectra were recorded over long atmospheric limb paths during sunrise and sunset. These latter spectra show a wealth of absorption features of numerous minor and trace gases in the Earth's thermosphere, mesosphere, stratosphere, and troposphere. We report here the first stratospheric measurments of $COF2$ (carbonyl flouride), a molecule postulated to be an important intermediate product of the decomposition of chlorofluorocarbons (CFC's) in the upper atmosphere. Absorption features of $COF2$ have been identified at $774.0cm-1$ and in the $1925-1965-cm-1$ region of the ATMOS stratospheric spectra. The lower wavenumber feature is the unresolved narrow Q branch of the C-type $\nu 6$ band. Numerous unresolved manifolds of the intense A-type $\nu 1$ band are observed in the higher wavenumber region. ATMOS spectra showing these $COF2$ features will be presented. Research at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory was performed under contract with NASA.