Benchmark Brown Dwarfs as Chemical Laboratories: Linking System Bulk Properties to Atmospheric Retrievals

Clicks: 15
ID: 327244
2026
Free PDF
Article Quality & Performance Metrics
Overall Quality
Not rated
Combines reader engagement with the AI quality analysis. This article has not been analysed, so there is no overall score — reader engagement is measured and shown alongside.
AI Quality Assessment
Not analyzed
Readership in this journal
Steady

Ranked #834 of 1,327 articles by views in monthly notices of the royal astronomical society

Most read Least read

Bar heights use a square-root scale. Only the 120 most-read articles are drawn; the journal has 1,327 in total.

Mint this article as an NFT
Not yet minted

Create a permanent, verifiable on-chain record of this article on the Scimatic Network. The NFT is held in your Journament account, and you can withdraw it to your own wallet at any time.

5 SUSD one-off · no wallet required
Sign in to mint
Abstract
Abstract We present the first atmospheric retrieval analysis of two compositional benchmark mid-L dwarfs – SDSSJ141659.78+500626.4 and GJ 499 C – using the Brewster retrieval framework, where the wide benchmark nature of these systems provides independent constraints on age and bulk composition from their stellar primaries. These targets were observed with JWST using NIRSpec Prism and MIRI LRS, providing low-resolution (R ~ 100) spectra between 0.6–14.0 μm with high signal-to-noise ratios (SNR ~100 – 600). For SDSSJ141659.78+500626.4, the retrieved cloud combination of a high-altitude enstatite slab and low-altitude iron deck clouds matches phase-equilibrium predictions based on the primary star’s Mg/Si ratio. We retrieve a super-solar C/O = 0.71$^{+0.01}_{-0.01}$ and slightly metal-rich [M/H] = 0.22$^{+0.03}_{-0.03}$. This C/O ratio can only be reconciled with the value inferred for the primary if additional oxygen sequestration beyond the retrieved cloud mass is present, or if there are uncertainties in the adopted opacities or other model deficiencies. The inferred [C/H] and [O/H] are 0.31±0.03 and 0.19±0.03, respectively, which are consistent within the relatively large uncertainties of the host star abundances. For GJ 499 C, the retrieved silicon-monoxide and forsterite slab clouds are difficult to explain with simple phase-equilibrium assumptions, yielding Mg/Si ~ 1.9. We estimate C/O = 0.69$^{+0.02}_{-0.02}$ and [M/H] = 0.13$^{+0.04}_{-0.06}$. For both objects, the inferred radii of 0.85$^{+0.01}_{-0.01}$ RJup and 1.00$^{+0.02}_{-0.02}$ RJup and masses of 73.7$^{+4.9}_{-9.2}$ MJup and 68.0$^{+8.5}_{-12.7}$ MJup are consistent with evolutionary models and system ages, highlighting the plausibility of our results.
Reference Key
openalex_W7204448332 Use this key to autocite in the manuscript while using SciMatic Manuscript Manager or Thesis Manager
Authors Viktória Kecskeméthy, Ben Burningham, Fei Wang, Austin J. Rothermich, Jacqueline K. Faherty, Genaro Suárez, Caprice L. Phillips, Melanie Rowland, Channon Visscher, Johanna M. Vos, Daniella C. Bardalez Gagliuffi
Are you one of these authors? Claim your profile
Journal monthly notices of the royal astronomical society
Year 2026
DOI
10.1093/mnras/stag1622
URL
https://academic.oup.com/mnras/advance-article-pdf/doi/10.1093/mnras/stag1622/70870431/stag1622.pdf
Keywords Keywords not found

Citations

No citations found. To add a citation, contact the admin at info@scimatic.org

Comments

No comments yet. Be the first to comment on this article.