Absolute infrared intensities for F‐113 and F‐114 and an assessment of their greenhouse warming potential relative to other chlorofluorocarbons

Abstract

The literature concerning the “greenhouse” warming potentials of Chlorofluorocarbons F‐11, F‐12, F‐22, F‐113, F‐114, F‐134a, and F‐142b is reviewed. Additionally, infrared intensities are reported for each of the fundamental absorption bands of F‐113 (CF2ClCFCl2) and F‐114 (CF2ClCF2Cl) in the region between 8 and 20 μm. The measurements were made with a Fourier transform infrared spectrometer operated at 0.04 cm−1 apodized resolution. The total intensities measured for this region were 4905 cm−2 atm−1 for F‐113 and 6064 cm−2 atm−1 for F‐114, compared to a total intensity of 3404 cm−2 atm−1 for F‐12 (CF2Cl2) in the same region. On the basis of these infrared intensities and the atmospheric lifetimes of F‐113 and of F‐114 relative to F‐12, and on a per unit mass basis, F‐113 and F‐114 are about 0.8 and 1.9 times as effective, respectively, as F‐12 in the “greenhouse” warming of the Earth.