Precise determination of refractometric parameters for atmospheric gases

Journal Article · Mon Apr 01 04:00:00 EST 1991 · Journal of the Optical Society of America, Part A: Optics and Image Science; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1364/JOSAA.8.000647· OSTI ID:5462005

Birch, K P ^[1]

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1. National Physical Lab., Middlesex (United Kingdom)

The increasing use of laser interferometers for ultraprecise length measurements in the free atmosphere has produced a corresponding requirement for the accurate determination of the refractive index of ambient air. Consequently the National Physical Laboratory (NPL) (Teddington, UK) has developed an automatic interference air refractometer sensors for this purpose. The measurement of refractive-index variations of gases at different wavelengths, temperatures, and pressures also has high importance, for example, by enhancing the understanding of the molecular structures involved. Therefore the NPL's air refractometer was also used for determining refractive indices and other associated refractometric parameters of a range of atmospheric gases from which a study was made on the validity of the Lorentz-Lorentz equation when applied to air. The gases that were studied at a wavelength of 633 nm were nitrogen, oxygen, argon, carbon dioxide, neon, helium, nitrous oxide (N{sub 2}O), krypton, and dry air.

• OSTI ID: 5462005
• Journal Information: Journal of the Optical Society of America, Part A: Optics and Image Science; (United States), Journal Name: Journal of the Optical Society of America, Part A: Optics and Image Science; (United States) Vol. 8:4; ISSN 0740-3232; ISSN JOAOD
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
540110*
AIR
ARGON
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBON DIOXIDE
CARBON OXIDES
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
DATA
EARTH ATMOSPHERE
ELEMENTS
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
FLUIDS
GASES
HELIUM
INFORMATION
INTERFEROMETRY
KRYPTON
NEON
NITROGEN
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
NITROGEN OXIDES
NITROUS OXIDE
NONMETALS
NUMERICAL DATA
OPTICAL PROPERTIES
OXIDES
OXYGEN
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
RARE GASES
REFRACTIVE INDEX
REMOTE SENSING