Astro2020 White Paper: The L/T Transition
Abstract
The L/T transition is an important evolutionary phase in brown dwarf atmospheres, providing us with a unique opportunity to explore the effects of clouds, convection, winds, gravity and metallicity across a very narrow temperature range. Understanding these physical processes is critical for understanding ultracool atmospheres. In the next decade, we will answer three key questions regarding L/T transition atmospheres: 1. What is the physical mechanism behind the L/T transition? 2. What is the spatial extent of atmospheric structures at the L/T transition? 3. How do gravity and metallicity affect the L/T transition? The theory and methods developed for brown dwarfs will be used in the 2030s and beyond for solar-system age giant exoplanets and eventually habitable zone earth analogues. Developing these techniques now are crucial.
Cite
@article{arxiv.1903.06691,
title = {Astro2020 White Paper: The L/T Transition},
author = {Johanna M. Vos and Katelyn Allers and Daniel Apai and Beth Biller and Adam Burgasser and Jacqueline Faherty and Jonathan Gagné and Christiane Helling and Caroline Morley and Jacqueline Radigan and Adam Showman and Xianyu Tan and Pascal Tremblin},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1903.06691},
year = {2019}
}