The HITRAN molecular spectroscopic database is the main focus of my research. Leading this project is a hugely rewarding experience as I get to interact with the best laboratories that contribute their data, and a diverse set of scientists and engineers who use the HITRAN data. The data is being used in a plethora of applications, including atmospheric science, astrophysics, surveillance, and medicine.
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How is the HITRAN project structured?
How is the HITRAN project structured?
The HITRAN database is a curated compilation of validated molecular spectroscopic parameters, established in the early 1970s. It is used by various computer codes to interpret and model the transmission and emission of light in terrestrial and planetary atmospheres. The HITRAN compilation consists of six major components. These components include the line-by-line spectroscopic parameters required for high-resolution radiative-transfer codes, experimentally derived absorption cross-sections (for molecules where it is not yet feasible for representation in a line-by-line form), collision-induced absorption data, a water-vapor continuum model, aerosol indices of refraction, and general tables (including partition sums) that apply globally to the data. The database is updated quadrennially, and the corresponding papers are among the most cited in Geoscience.
With the rapid advances in instrumentation and computational resources, the applications require more and more critical updates and enhancements from HITRAN. Following a PACT (Practicality, Accuracy, Completeness, and Traceability) philosophy, these updates include, but are not limited to, adding more molecules and isotopologues, extending spectral and dynamic coverage, appreciable improvement of the accuracy of the existing parameters, adding new line shape representations and associated parameters, and parametrizations of ``new'' (to HITRAN) phenomena, such as water-vapor continuum, that are required to reduce the residuals of atmospheric retrievals. The flow diagram below summarizes how the data is typically collected and curated by HITRAN, including the validation process. The priorities are set by NASA's needs and recommendations from the HITRAN committee. The data is then being sourced and once obtained, is gone through validation by cross-comparisons of alternative sources, if they exist, and comparisons against laboratory and field data when available. At the end, the best values for the parameters are selected and compiled into the current version.
The database is then released. The user feedback is an integral part of the process, as it enables us to update the deficient parameters or seek funding for future improvements.
The HITRAN team and community
The HITRAN team and community
The quality and global impact of the HITRAN database are the product of a unique and efficient collaborative structure. The day-to-day curation, development, and maintenance are performed by the HITRAN team- a small, dedicated team of expert scientists at the Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian. The list of current and former group members can be found here.
The enduring success of HITRAN is a testament to the collective passion of this community, which shares its research to benefit the entire scientific world. The members of the HITRAN scientific advisory committee perfectly embody this spirit. These world-leading experts in molecular spectroscopy, data science, atmospheric and planetary sciences volunteer their time and invaluable expertise to guide the project's direction, validate new data, and ensure HITRAN remains at the forefront of science. Their commitment, and that of every contributor, is fundamental to our mission. We channel this community effort by curating, validating, and integrating these contributions into the database trusted by the community.
Below are some pictures of the HITRAN group and committee.
HITRAN committee meeting, June 2011 (Columbus, Ohio)
HITRAN group and friends, November 2014 (Boston, MA)
HITRAN committee meeting, August 2016 (Reims, France)
HITRAN group, November 2016 (Cambridge, MA)
HITRAN committee meeting, June 2018 (Cambridge, MA)
HITRAN group and friends from the TEMPO team, December 2019 (Cambridge, MA)
HITRAN group meeting on Zoom during the COVID pandemic, April 2020
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