A theoretical assessment of the O₃/H₂O interference problem in the detection of natural levels of OH via laser induced fluorescence

Abstract

Theoretical calculations are presented which estimate the possible magnitude of the O 3 /H 2 O derived OH interference signal resulting from the use of the laser‐induced fluorescence technique in measuring natural levels of tropospheric OH. Critical to this new assessment has been the measurement of the nascent OH quantum state distribution resulting from the reaction O(¹D) + H 2 O → 2OH, and an assessment of the subsequent rotational relaxation of the OH species when formed in high k levels.