Water vapor line profile at 183-GHz: Temperature dependence of broadening, shifting, and speed-dependent shape parameters

The water vapor line at 183 GHz was studied over the temperature range of 219-358 K using a spectrometer with radioacoustic detection of absorption, providing a signal-to-noise ratio of up to 8000. The study includes the first measurement of speed-dependent collisional broadening and shifting of this line for both self- and air-broadening, and their temperature dependences. The sign of self-shifting changes at about 280 K. Line-shape parameters are obtained for Voigt and quadratic speed-dependent Voigt shape factors. Temperature dependences of the line parameters are analyzed using empirical models from the literature. Theoretical Modified Complex Robert-Bonamy calculations of the line shape parameters, their temperature and speed-dependence are made over the temperature range of 200-3000 K. The measurements and calculations show very good agreement, although with some discrepancies for line shift parameters. The impact of the newly-measured line parameters on atmospheric water-vapor estimation from ground-based and satellite instruments is evaluated by simulation of downwelling and upwelling brightness temperatures and retrieved water-vapor mixing ratio, for atmospheric conditions typical of six climate zones. For the case of ground-based or limb-scanning radiometry with a background of cold space, the impact of speed-dependence is comparable to or exceeds that of measurement error and will introduce systematic errors if neglected. Therefore, consideration of speed-dependence is necessary for accurate estimation of water vapor with this line. The impact on upwelling brightness temperature is smaller.