Spectrum of hot water in the 4750-13 000 cm-1 wavenumber range (0.769-2.1 μm)

The high resolution laboratory spectrum of hot water vapour has been recorded in the 500-13 000 cm(-1) wavenumber range and we report on the analysis of the 4750-13 000 cm(-1) (0.769-2.1 mu m) portion. The emission spectrum was recorded using an oxy-acetylene welding torch and a Fourier transform spectrometer. Line assignments in the laboratory spectrum as well as in an absorption spectrum of a sunspot umbra were made with the help of the BT2 line-list. Our torch spectrum is the first laboratory observation of the 9300 angstrom 'steam bands' seen in M-stars and brown dwarfs.