Datasets of Light Absorbance Spectra for Atmospheric Gases

I am currently doing some thermal/aerospace engineering research that involves finding light absorption in different points in Earth's orbit.


What is the best way to find absorbance vs. wavelength spectra data (IR,Vis,UV) for common gases such as O, O2, N2, He, Ar, etc.?


Ironically, I've found this spectra for other molecules, but am struggling with the most common gases on the planet. Help is much appreciated.




For UV-Vis, one source is [The MPI-Mainz UV/VIS Spectral Atlas
of Gaseous Molecules of Atmospheric Interest](https://www.uv-vis-spectral-atlas-mainz.org/uvvis/) mentioned in an [earlier answer](https://chemistry.stackexchange.com/questions/115970/tabulated-absorption-spectra-of-greenhouse-gases/115975#115975). Given the (chemical) simplicity of the compounds of interest mentioned, [NIST Chemistry WebBook](https://webbook.nist.gov/) can complement this one; this compilation includes IR data e.g. about gaseous carbon dioxide


[![enter image description here](https://i.stack.imgur.com/y0H36.png)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/y0H36.png)


(image credit to NIST, screen photo from [here](https://webbook.nist.gov/cgi/cbook.cgi?ID=C124389&Units=SI&Type=IR-SPEC&Index=1#IR-SPEC))


in formats you can process further (e.g., JCAMP-DX).


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You will need to use some chemical intuition and the right keywords. He and Ar (and all other noble gases) are monoatomic, so it is good omen that one cannot find their vibrational spectra. Similarly, these gases are colorless, so there will be no absorbance in the visible region. There are no double or triple bonds in noble gases, one will not expect an ordinary UV spectrum. However, you will need to search deep UV or vacuum UV absorption spectrum of these gases which must have been studied to the hilt.


Coming to diatomic gases (oxygen and nitrogen), since there is no dipole moment change during vibration of a homonuclear diatomic gas, we do not expect an infrared spectrum of these gases. These molecules do vibrate, should one look for a Raman spectrum then?


(Liquid) oxygen is somewhat pale blue, so it means that gaseous oxygen will absorb light in the deep red region. We can see those beautiful absorption bands in high resolution solar spectrum. Search high resolution solar spectrum. Diatomic oxygen and nitrogen both absorb deep UV at the cost of being broken or ionized (recall ozone formation).


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