Star-disk interaction in brown dwarfs: implications for substellar formation

I review the current state of knowledge regarding disk accretion in young brown dwarfs (BDs), and the interaction of the disk with the central object. In particular, I discuss (1) observations of accretion/outflow phenomena in BDs; (2) techniques for measuring accretion rates (Ṁ_acc); (3) the dependence of Ṁ_acc on the central mass from stars to brown dwarfs; (4) the temporal evolution of Ṁ_acc; and (5) observations of variability in the accretion line profiles. I then examine the implications of these issues for the formation mechanism of BDs, and discuss new observations that can further constrain substellar origins.