Molecular astronomy of cool stars and sub-stellar objects

TL;DR

This paper reviews the optical and infrared spectra of various cool astronomical objects, emphasizing molecular environments and the calculation of molecular opacities crucial for spectral analysis.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive overview of molecular spectra in cool stars and sub-stellar objects, bridging astronomy and chemical physics.

Findings

Detailed spectral characteristics of cool stars and sub-stellar objects

Methods for calculating molecular opacities in astronomical spectra

Insights into molecular environments in astronomy

Abstract

The optical and infrared spectra of a wide variety of `cool' astronomical objects including the Sun, sunspots, K-, M- and S-type stars, carbon stars, brown dwarfs and extrasolar planets are reviewed. The review provides the necessary astronomical background for chemical physicists to understand and appreciate the unique molecular environments found in astronomy. The calculation of molecular opacities needed to simulate the observed spectral energy distributions is discussed.