Modeling the temperature dependence of the index of refraction of liquid water in the visible and the near-ultraviolet ranges by a genetic algorithm.

A simple formula describing the dependence of the index of refraction of water on wavelength in the visible and the near-UV ranges and at temperature from 0 degrees C to 100 degrees C is given. Parameters of the formula were determined by minimization of discrepancies between calculated and experimental data by use of an elite genetic algorithm with adaptive mutations. This algorithm was devised with a particular application in mind, the determination of model parameters. Its superiority over the simple genetic algorithm in locating the global minimum was demonstrated on a family of multiminima test functions for as many as 100 variables.