Ultrafast vibrational population dynamics of water and related systems: A theoretical perspective

A review is given on the rapid progress within about the past decade, both experimental and theoretical, on the vibrational aspects of liquid water, as probed by nonlinear ultrafast infrared and Raman spectroscopic methods of various sorts. First, the first experimental results for HOD in D2O from the early 1990s are covered. Second, an early suggestion that the OH population dynamics involved vibrational photodissociation is given. Third, energy transfer mechanisms directly involving vibrations other than the hydrogen bond are described.