Water clusters: Untangling the mysteries of the liquid, one molecule at a time

Extensive terahertz laser vibration-rotation-tunneling spectra and mid-IR l aser spectra have been compiled for several isotopomers of small (dimer thr ough hexamer) water clusters. These data, in conjunction with new theoretic al advances, quantify the structures, force fields, dipole moments, and hyd rogen bond rearrangement dynamics in these clusters. This new information p ermits us to systematically untangle the intricacies associated with Cooper ative hydrogen bonding and promises to lead to a more complete molecular de scription of the liquid and solid phases of water, including an accurate un iversal force field.