Variability of Brown Dwarfs

Understand

Brown dwarfs constitute a missing link between low-mass stars and giant planets.

• Their atmospheres display chemical species typical of planets, and one could wonder whether they also have weather-like patterns.
• While brown dwarf surface features cannot be directly resolved, the photometric and spectroscopic modulations induced by these features, as they rotate in and out of view, provide a wealth of information on the evolution of their atmosphere.
• A review of brown dwarfs variability through the L, T and Y spectral types sequence is presented, as well as the constraints that they set on the nature of weather-like patterns on their surface.