Absolute band strengths of halocarbons F‐11 and F‐12 in the 8‐ to 16‐μm region

The infrared strengths of three vibrational band systems of halocarbon F‐11 and four vibrational band systems of halocarbon F‐12 in the ‘atmospheric window’ between 8 and 16 μm were measured at 296±1 K using a Fourier transform infrared spectrometer. These results were obtained at a maximum instrumental resolution of 0.06 cm −1 Our measurements of the total infrared band strengths for F‐11 and F‐12 would indicate approximately 17% and 5% greater absorbance, respectively, than those strengths used in recent greenhouse warming calculations by Ramanathan (1975), Wang et al. (1976), and Lacis et al. (1981), and consequently, a corresponding increase in the possible atmospheric warming effect by these halocarbons.