Measurement of collision‐induced shift and broadening of the ultraviolet transitions of OH

Using a cw tunable laser, absorption measurements were made to determine for the first time the shift and broadening of the ultraviolet transitions of OH induced by collisions with molecular nitrogen and oxygen. Similar measurements were also made for collisions with air and inert gases He, Ne, Ar, and Kr. Both the shift and broadening due to these collisions were found to depend linearly upon pressures in the range from 50 Torr up to 1 atm. The homogeneous linewidth for the P1(2) transition of OH in ambient air is determined to be (0.20±0.005) cm−1. Results with Ar and Kr show contributions not accounted for by the polarizability of the colliding species.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/69793/2/JCPSA6-82-7-2877-1.pd

Shot noise limited detection of OH using the technique of laser induced fluorescence

Nearly shot-noise limited detection of OH using the technique of laser-induced fluorescence is reported. A LIDAR configuration is used to excite fluorescence in a large volume and a narrow-bandwidth interference filter provides spectral discrimination. This arrangement alleviates the effect of ozone interference and facilitates image processing at relatively close distances. The detection limit is determined mainly by the shot-noise of the solar background. Ground-based measurements in Dearborn indicate a detection limit of better than 1 x 10 to the 6th power OH/cubic cm over a forty-minute acquisition period. Under favorable conditions, a comparable detection limit was also observed for airborne measurements

Maternal Behavior is Impaired in Female Mice Lacking Type 3 Adenylyl Cyclase

Although chemosensory signals generated by mouse pups may trigger maternal behavior of females, the mechanism for detection of these signals has not been fully defined. As some odorant receptors are coupled to the type 3 adenylyl cyclase (AC3), we evaluated the role of AC3 for maternal behavior using AC3−/− female mice. Here, we report that maternal behavior is impaired in virgin and postpartum AC3−/− mice. Female AC3−/− mice failed the pup retrieval assay, did not construct well-defined nests, and did not exhibit maternal aggression. Furthermore, AC3−/− females could not detect odorants or pup urine in the odorant habituation test and were unable to detect pups by chemoreception. In contrast to wild-type mice, AC activity in main olfactory epithelium (MOE) preparations from AC3−/− female mice was not stimulated by odorants or pheromones. Moreover, odorants and pheromones did not evoke electro-olfactogram (EOG) responses in the MOE of AC3−/− female mice. We hypothesize that the detection of chemical signals that trigger maternal behavior in female mice depends upon AC3 in the MOE