Collisional effects in laser detection of tropospheric OH

Abstract

The use of laser-induced fluorescence to measure OH in the troposphere is discussed. It is noted that quantitative laser detection of OH requires knowledge of collisional processes affecting the measurements and interference effects due to OH generated by laser photolytic processes. Collisions induce quenching of the excited A-state, as well as vibrational and rotational energy transfer in the excited and ground states. It is noted that the state-specific nature of these processes is important, especially the rotational level dependence of quenching and vibrational transfer in excited OH. Also important is the temperature dependence according to which quenching cross sections sharply increase with decreasing temperature. Laboratory experiments studying these collisional processes are described, and their implications for laser detection of tropospheric OH are examined.