Molecular oxygen band strength quantification in astrophysical environments

Homonuclear molecules (H2, N2, O2) are thought to be some of the most abundant molecules in cold molecular clouds. Despite their abundance, their weak infrared spectral features have prevented them from being detected in the solid phase. The James Webb Space Telescope however is capable of pushing the limits of what is needed for these detections. Here, we investigate the band strength of the fundamental infrared absorption of molecular oxygen (O2) in different environments using a combination of infrared spectroscopy and microbalance gravimetry. Our results will be critical for quantification of any future detections of O2 in cold astrophysical environments.