<<< >>>

Spectral Features in T dwarfs:

  • Similar to L dwarf in optical, though somewhat more faint

  • Decreasing temperature means carbon more likely to appear as CH4 instead of CO.

  • Although L dwarfs do show presence of some CH4 absorption, T dwarfs defined by Kirkpatrick as showing CH4 absorption overtones in H and K band (1.6 and 2.1 µm)

  • Cloud structure become very important from L-to-T transition - iron & silicates precipitate out as temperature drops


Figure taken from Burgasser (2002).