OBSERVATION OF $OH^{+}$ AND $H_{2}O^{+}$ INFRARED FUNDAMENTAL BANDS

$^{1}$A.J. Merer, D.N. Malm, R.W. Martin, M. Horani, and J. Rostas, Can. J. Phys., 53, 251 (1975) $^{2}$H. Low, Can. J. Phys., 54, 2028 (1976)Author Institution: Department of Chemistry and Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics, University of ChicagoInfrared spectra of the fundamental band of OH+ and the $\nu_{s}$ band of $H_{2}O^{+}$ have been observed in an a.c. glow discharge of a $He/H_{2}/O_{2}(100:1:1)$ gas mixture. A laser difference frequency spectrometer and velocity modulation were used for the detection. The intensity of the transitions indicates OH+ and $H_{2}O^{+}$ concentrations of $\sim 5 \times 10^{9} cm^{-3}$, with an $H_{3}O^{+}$ abundance of the same order. The observed spectrum of OH+ has enabled us to improve the accuracy of the molecular constants reported by Merer et. $al^{1}$. For the $\nu_{3}$ band of $H_{2}O^{+}$, eight pairs of combination differences in the ground state were used together with the previous data of $Lew^{2}$ to determine improved ground state constants. The molecular constants in the (0,0,1) state were determined for the first time