Abstract

We have applied Kramers-Kronig analysis to reflection spectra to determine the optical constants of ammonium hydroxide and of aqueous solutions of ammonium chloride and bromide. From considerations of the absorption indices k(ν) we conclude that ammonium hydroxide consists of a solution of NH₃ in water, in which NH₃ molecules are hydrogen bonded to neighboring water molecules. The spectrum of ammonium hydroxide differs from the spectra of ammonium salts, in which bands characteristic of NH₄⁺ ions are prominent. The existence of ammonium hydroxide as an aerosol in planetary atmospheres is briefly discussed.

© 1978 Optical Society of America

Optical constants of ammonium sulfate in the infrared

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