The Formation and Early Evolution of Low-mass Stars and Brown Dwarfs

TL;DR

This review discusses recent discoveries of low-mass stars and brown dwarfs, examining their formation, early evolution, and how observations compare with theoretical models across various properties.

Contribution

It synthesizes observational data and tests of formation and evolution theories for low-mass stars and brown dwarfs, highlighting new insights and methods.

Findings

Initial mass function and multiplicity data support formation theories.

Dynamical mass measurements validate evolutionary models.

Circumstellar disk observations inform early evolutionary stages.

Abstract

The discovery of large numbers of young low-mass stars and brown dwarfs over the last decade has made it possible to investigate star formation and early evolution in a previously unexplored mass regime. In this review, we begin by describing surveys for low-mass members of nearby associations, open clusters, star-forming regions and the methods used to characterize their stellar properties. We then use observations of these populations to test theories of star formation and evolution at low masses. For comparison to the formation models, we consider the initial mass function, stellar multiplicity, circumstellar disks, protostellar characteristics, and kinematic and spatial distributions at birth for low-mass stars and brown dwarfs. To test the evolutionary models, we focus on measurements of dynamical masses and empirical Hertzsprung-Russell diagrams for young brown dwarfs and planetary companions.