ExoMol line lists -- XXXVIII. High-temperature molecular line list of silicon dioxide (SiO$_{\mathbf{2}}$)

TL;DR

This paper presents the first comprehensive high-temperature molecular line list for silicon dioxide (SiO$_2$), enabling better spectroscopic detection of SiO$_2$ in hot exoplanet atmospheres.

Contribution

The authors developed and provided the first extensive SiO$_2$ line list, covering 0-6000 cm$^{-1}$ and suitable for temperatures up to 3000 K, with nearly 33 billion transitions.

Findings

Line list covers 0-6000 cm$^{-1}$ range.

Suitable for temperatures up to 3000 K.

Contains 5.69 million energy states and 33 billion transitions.

Abstract

Silicon dioxide (SiO$_2$) is expected to occur in the atmospheres of hot rocky super-Earth exoplanets but a lack of spectroscopic data is hampering its possible detection. Here, we present the first, comprehensive molecular line list for SiO$_2$. The line list, named OYT3, covers the wavenumber range 0\,--\,6000~cm$^{-1}$ (wavelengths $\lambda > 1.67$~$\mu$m) and is suitable for temperatures up to $T=3000$~K. Almost 33 billion transitions involving 5.69 million rotation-vibration states with rotational excitation up to $J=255$ have been computed using robust first-principles methodologies. The OYT3 line list is available from the ExoMol database at http://www.exomol.com.