,- Department of Astronomy and Planetary Science, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff Arizona, United States of America
To date, there have been no detections of solid phase O2 in interstellar space via its forbidden transition at 6.447𝜇m (1551 cm-1). However, with the new James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), detections of these types of species (homonuclear molecules) may be possible in the future. To assist future observing efforts, we have measured the band strength of the O2 absorption at 6.447𝜇m in different astrophysical ice environments. Specifically, our experiments focused on binary ice mixtures of O2 and H2O, CO2, or CO. We also studied whether varying the concentration of O2 and/or annealing the mixture had a significant effect on the measured band strength.
These new band strength values will be important for any future observing campaign of solid phase O2, as they will enable future observers to estimate time-on-target requirements for a detection. Finally, in the event of a detection, these values will allow for the quantification of O2, or if not detected, they will allow scientists to place appropriate upper limits on its abundance.
How to cite: Burris, W., Loeffler, M., and Tegler, S.: Infrared Band Strength of Molecular Oxygen in Astrophysical Ices, EPSC-DPS Joint Meeting 2025, Helsinki, Finland, 7–12 Sep 2025, EPSC-DPS2025-171, https://doi.org/10.5194/epsc-dps2025-171, 2025.
