Atmospheres from very low-mass stars to extrasolar planets

TL;DR

This paper reviews recent progress in modeling atmospheres from very low-mass stars to extrasolar planets, highlighting advances in cloud models and stellar-to-substellar transition, while noting ongoing challenges in the M-L transition region.

Contribution

It introduces improved models incorporating revised solar oxygen abundances and cloud physics, enhancing understanding of the stellar to substellar atmospheric transition.

Findings

Enhanced models reproduce photometric and spectroscopic properties more accurately.

Progress made in modeling the stellar to substellar transition.

Challenges remain in the M-L transition temperature range.

Abstract

Within the next few years, several instruments aiming at imaging extrasolar planets will see first light. In parallel, low mass planets are being searched around red dwarfs which offer more favorable conditions, both for radial velocity detection and transit studies, than solar-type stars. We review recent advancements in modeling the stellar to substellar transition. The revised solar oxygen abundances and cloud models allow to reproduce the photometric and spectroscopic properties of this transition to a degree never achieved before, but problems remain in the important M-L transition characteristic of the effective temperature range of characterizable exoplanets.