The Index of Refraction of Air in the Photographic Infrared

Author: Bender, David Fulmer

Year: 1937

Degree: Dissertation (Ph.D.)

Advisor: Houston, William Vermillion

Committee Member: Unknown, Unknown

Option: Physics

DOI: 10.7907/v8qt-yp20

Abstract

The index of refraction of dry CO2-free air has been measured in the region 6500 A. to 11200 A. With 55 measurements at 30 wavelengths the following dispersion curve at standard conditions was calculated by the method of least squares:

(no-1),107 = 2878.94 ± 3.8 + 24.74 ± 4.5/λ2 - 2.47 ± 1.3/λ4

The curve can be extrapolated further into the infrared, but not into the visible. Comparison with other observers indicates that the present results are higher than the others by 6 to 10 parts in 107.

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