Detecting magnetic fields on brown dwarfs and exoplanets

There is growing evidence that brown dwarfs may possess rather strong magnetic fields, similar to active, early M-type red dwarf stars. Strong clues come from extremely energetic flares detected in UV, X-ray and optical line emission as well as quiescent and transient radio emission and bursts. Our recent spectropolarimetric study of one such active brown dwarf has revealed a 5 kG magnetic spot on its surface. The emitting region topology recovered using spectral line profile inversions indicates the presence of a hot plasma large-scale loop of at least 7000 K with a vertical stratification of the sources producing both optical and radio emission. This loop rotates with the dwarf in and out of view causing the emission bursts. The 5 kG magnetic field is detected at the base of the loop. This result provides the first direct observational constraint for a magnetically driven non-thermal emission mechanism and for generation of magnetic fields in fully convective brown dwarfs. It also paves a path towards magnetic studies of hot Jupiters of similar temperatures. We model relevant atomic lines and molecular bands in order to predict spectropolarimetric signals due to magnetic fields on brown dwarfs, hot Jupiters and other types of exoplanets. This exercise helps to determine instrumental requirements for magnetic surveys of brown dwarfs and exoplanets.