Weather and Rotation on Young Brown Dwarfs
Abstract
As part of a large, ground-based survey for weather patterns on exoplanet analogues, we have detected J-band variability in 5 young exoplanet analogues. We have already carried out followup Spitzer monitoring of two objects and here we propose Spitzer 3.6um and 4.5um monitoring of three early-mid-L detections in our survey. The proposed observations will enable us to assess the role of gravity in the variability properties of these young objects by providing a full measure of mid-IR amplitude across the full L spectral sequence for low-gravity objects. The proposed observations will also allow us to measure the rotational periods of our three targets. This will provide vital information on the angular momentum of young brown dwarfs, while enabling us to correct for geometric effects when considering the variability properties of our targets. This study will act as a necessary pathfinder for future variability studies of free-floating and companion exoplanets with JWST.
- Publication:
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Spitzer Proposal
- Pub Date:
- May 2018
- Bibcode:
- 2018sptz.prop14019V