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History of the HITRAN Database

Nature Reviews Physics volume 3, pages 302–304 (2021)Cite this article

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For almost 50 years the HITRAN molecular spectroscopic database has been the standard archive for transmission and radiance calculations. Laurence Rothman reviews its history and some applications.

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References

  1. McClatchey, R. A., et al. AFCRL Atmospheric Absorption Line Parameters Compilation. In AFCRL Research Papers (Issue 434) (1973).

  2. Rothman, L. S. et al. AFGL Trace Gas Compilation. Appl. Opt. 17, 507 (1978).

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  3. Gordon, I. E. et al. The HITRAN2016 molecular spectroscopic database. J. Quant. Spectrosc. Radiat. Transf. 203, 3–69 (2017).

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  4. Rothman, L. S. et al. HITEMP, the high-temperature molecular spectroscopic database. J. Quant. Spectrosc. Radiat. Transf. 111, 2139–2150 (2010).

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  5. Hargreaves, R. J. et al. An accurate, extensive, and practical line list of methane for the HITEMP database. Astrophysical Journal, Supplement Series 247, 19 (2020).

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Acknowledgements

The author thanks Dr. Iouli E. Gordon, the current director of the HITRAN project, for suggestions. Work on HITRAN at the Harvard-Smithsonian has been funded by NASA.

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  1. Atomic & Molecular Physics Division, Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian, Cambridge, MA, USA

    Laurence S. Rothman

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  1. Laurence S. Rothman
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Correspondence to Laurence S. Rothman.

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The author declares no competing interests.

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Rothman, L.S. History of the HITRAN Database. Nat Rev Phys 3, 302–304 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s42254-021-00309-2

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