Amazing stuff!
"Chromium hydride (CrH), a molecule that’s relatively rare and particularly sensitive to temperature, is useful as a “thermometer for stars,” ... because it’s abundant only in a narrow range between 1,200-2,000 degrees Kelvin. ...
In our solar system, the only detected occurrence of this molecule is in sunspots, ... the sun is too hot (around 6,000 K on the surface) and all other objects are too cool. ..."
From the abstract:
"Exoplanet atmosphere studies are often enriched by synergies with brown dwarf analogs. However, many key molecules commonly seen in brown dwarfs have yet to be confirmed in exoplanet atmospheres. An important example is chromium hydride (CrH), which is often used to probe atmospheric temperatures and classify brown dwarfs into spectral types. Recently, tentative evidence for CrH was reported in the low-resolution transmission spectrum of the hot Jupiter WASP-31b. Here, we presenthigh spectral resolution observations of WASP-31b's transmission spectrum from GRACES/Gemini North and UVES/Very Large Telescope. We detect CrH at 5.6σ confidence, representing the first metal hydride detection in an exoplanet atmosphere at high spectral resolution. Our findings constitute a critical step in understanding the role of metal hydrides in exoplanet atmospheres."
ExoGemS Detection of a Metal Hydride in an Exoplanet Atmosphere at High Spectral Resolution (open access)
Figure 4. The original (top) and filtered CrH template (bottom). The wavelength range use, chosen because of the relatively strong CrH lines with minimal telluric contamination, is highlighted in purple.
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