Quantitative Infrared Spectra of Hydrosilicates and Related Minerals

Absorption coefficients associated with atomic motions of species expected in astronomical environments are determined from infrared measurements of various hydrosilicates, hydrated magnesium oxide, and the Al-bearing chain silicate, sapphirine. Band types measured include O‐H stretching modes near 3 μm, Si‐O stretching motions near 10 μm, Si‐O‐Si bends near 14 μm, O‐Si‐O bends near 20 μm, and translations of cations such as Mg and Ca near 50‐200 μm. We obtain data from films of varying thickness and use a ratioing method. First, bandstrengths of O‐H fundamentals were determined from spectra obtained from films of controlled thicknesses, generally 6 μm. The O‐H absorbance strength was then used to accurately determine thickness for a thinner film of each mineral (found to be