O-2 CONTINUUM - A POSSIBLE EXPLANATION FOR THE DISCREPANCIES BETWEEN MEASURED AND MODELED SHORTWAVE SURFACE IRRADIANCES

Ground based solar spectra between 1 and 5 mu m (10,000 and 2000 cm(-1 )) have been obtained with a new, absolutely calibrated spectrometer. These spectra have sufficient spectral resolution (2 cm(-1)) to allow atmospheric absorption lines to be distinguished from underlying conti nuum absorption. Continuum absorption due to O-2 has been identified a round 1.06 mu m (9366 cm(-1)), 1.27 mu m(7882 cm(-1)), and 1.6 mu m (6 326 cm(-1)). These continuum absorptions are not included in the HITRA N database. Similar continuum absorption should be present around the 0.762 mu m (13121 cm(-1)) and 0.688 mu m (14525 cm(-1)) bands of O-2.