ExoMol is a database of molecular line lists that can be used for spectral characterisation and simulation of astrophysical environments such as

exoplanet An exoplanet or extrasolar planet is a planet outside the Solar System. The first confirmed detection of an exoplanet was in 1992 around a pulsar, and the first detection around a main-sequence star was in 1995. A different planet, first det ...

brown dwarf Brown dwarfs are substellar objects that have more mass than the biggest gas giant planets, but less than the least massive main sequence, main-sequence stars. Their mass is approximately 13 to 80 Jupiter mass, times that of Jupiter ()not big en ...

s, cool stars and

sunspot Sunspots are temporary spots on the Sun's surface that are darker than the surrounding area. They are one of the most recognizable Solar phenomena and despite the fact that they are mostly visible in the solar photosphere they usually aff ...

s. The project is run by the theoretical molecular physics group of

University College London University College London (Trade name, branded as UCL) is a Public university, public research university in London, England. It is a Member institutions of the University of London, member institution of the Federal university, federal Uni ...

and is led by Jonathan Tennyson. New line lists for about 30 small molecules of astrophysical interest that currently lack a complete spectroscopic coverage are being generated. The list includes diatomics (e.g., C₂, O₂, AlO, MgH, CaH,

FeH Iron(I) hydride, systematically named iron hydride and poly(hydridoiron) is a solid inorganic compound with the chemical formula (also written or FeH). It is both thermodynamically and kinetically unstable toward decomposition at ambient temper ...

), triatomics (e.g., H₂O, H₂S, C₃, SO₂), tetratomics (e.g., PH₃, HOOH, H₂CO) and a few larger molecules (most notably CH₄ and HNO₃). Full details on the ExoMol web site (www.exomol.com).

References

{{Reflist Astrophysics