Discovery of Molecular Hydrogen in White Dwarf Atmospheres

TL;DR

This paper reports the first detection of molecular hydrogen in white dwarf atmospheres, offering new insights into their temperature and surface gravity, using Hubble Space Telescope observations.

Contribution

It presents the novel detection of molecular hydrogen in white dwarf atmospheres, expanding understanding of their atmospheric composition.

Findings

Detected molecular hydrogen in three white dwarfs.

Provided new constraints on stellar temperature and surface gravity.

Used Hubble Space Telescope's Cosmic Origins Spectrograph.

Abstract

With the Cosmic Origins Spectrograph onboard the Hubble Space Telescope, we have detected molecular hydrogen in the atmospheres of three white dwarfs with effective temperatures below 14,000 K, G29-38, GD 133 and GD 31. This discovery provides new independent constraints on the stellar temperature and surface gravity of white dwarfs.