Related papers: Alkali Line Profiles in Degenerate Dwarfs
We present the current status of PHOENIX model atmospheres for dwarfs of the spectral type T, typical for older field brown dwarfs and low-mass brown dwarfs. The results are based on new predictions of the CH_4 line opacities from…
Cool white dwarfs with Teff < 6000 K are the remnants of the oldest stars that existed in our Galaxy. Their atmospheres, when properly characterized, can provide valuable information on white dwarf evolution and ultimately star formation…
We report an attempt to interpret the spectra of L and T dwarfs with the use of the Unified Cloudy Model (UCM). For this purpose, we extend the grid of the UCMs to the cases of log g = 4.5 and 5.5. The dust column density relative to the…
We have generated new, self-consistent spectral and atmosphere models for the effective temperature range 600 K to 1300 K thought to encompass the known T dwarfs. For the first time, theoretical models are compared with a {\it family} of…
Reliable modeling of the atmospheres of cool white dwarfs is crucial for understanding the atmospheric evolution of these stars and for accurate white dwarfs cosmochronology. Over the last decade {\it ab initio} modeling entered many…
A Keck~II low resolution spectrum shortward of ome-micron is presented for SDSS 1624+0029, the first field methane or T dwarf discovered in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. Significant flux is detected down to the spectrum's short wavelength…
In this contribution, I discuss some of the salient features of L and T dwarf spectra in both the red optical (6300--10000 {\AA}) and near-infrared (1--2.5 $\micron$) wavelength regimes. Important absorption bands and lines, including those…
The atmospheres of substellar objects contain clouds of oxides, iron, silicates, and other refractory condensates. Water clouds are expected in the coolest objects. The opacity of these `dust' clouds strongly affects both the atmospheric…
We consider the problem of radiative transfer in stellar atmospheres where the index of refraction departs from unity and is a function of density and temperature. We present modified Feautrier and Lambda-iteration methods to solve the…
A detailed analysis of the very cool white dwarfs SDSS 1337+00 and LHS 3250 is presented. Model atmosphere calculations with improved collision-induced absorptions by molecular hydrogen indicate that a pure hydrogen composition can be ruled…
High spectral resolution transmission spectroscopy is a powerful tool to characterize exoplanet atmospheres. Especially for hot Jupiters, this technique is highly relevant, due to their high altitude absorption e.g. from resonant sodium (Na…
During solar flares, spectral lines formed in the photosphere have been shown to exhibit changes to their profiles despite the challenges of energy transfer to these depths. Recent work has shown that deep-forming spectral lines are subject…
The atmosphere of a brown dwarf or extrasolar giant planet controls the spectrum of radiation emitted by the object and regulates its cooling over time. While the study of these atmospheres has been informed by decades of experience…
Alkali metal lines are one of the most important key opacity sources for understanding exoplanetary atmospheres because the Na I resonance doublets are thought to be the cause of low albedo, as the alkali metal's wide line wings absorb…
We report on our observing program to capture simultaneous spectra of Ca II and Balmer lines in a sample of nearby M3 dwarfs. Our goal is to investigate the chromospheric temperature structure required to produce these lines at the observed…
White dwarfs with metal lines in their spectra act as signposts for post-main sequence planetary systems. Searching the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) data release 12, we have identified 231 cool (<9000 K) DZ white dwarfs with strong metal…
Aims: Hydrogen deficient white dwarfs are characterized by very dense, fluid-like atmospheres of complex physics and chemistry that are still poorly understood. The incomplete description of these atmospheres by the models results in…
We consider the peculiarities of the optical spectra of far evolved stars with circumstellar gaseous-dusty envelopes: the time variability of the absorption-emission profiles of the H$\alpha$ line, the presence of stationary emission and…
Constraining L dwarf properties from their spectra is challenging. Near-infrared spectra probe a limited range of pressures, while many species condense within their photospheres. Condensation creates two complexities: gas-phase species…
Optical nebular emission lines are commonly used to estimate the star formation rate of galaxies and the black hole accretion rate of their central active nucleus. The accuracy of the conversion from line strengths to physical properties…