An analysis of vibration-rotation lines of OH in the solar infrared spectrum

Abstract

High resolution solar spectra have permitted the measurement with great accuracy of equivalent widths of vibration-rotation lines of OH in the X2Pi state near 3-micron wavelength. Using recent theoretical results for the transition probabilities, a solar oxygen abundance of (8.93 + or - 0.02) is derived which is in perfect agreement with the abundance deduced from the OH pure rotation lines. The solar abundance of oxygen is therefore A(O) = 8.92 + or - 0.035, as inferred from the analysis of 43 vibration-rotation lines and 81 pure rotation lines of the OH molecule. It is confirmed that the dipole moment function of Werner, Rosmus and Reinsch (1983) together with the Holweger-Mueller (1974) solar atmosphere model are to be preferred in the analysis of the data.