Unveiling Dynamic Processes in Brown Dwarfs
Brown dwarfs are substellar objects characterized by masses between 13 and 80 times that of Jupiter, positioning them between planets and stars. Unlike true stars, they are unable to sustain nuclear fusion at their cores, which causes them to be fainter and cooler.
First-Ever Mass Transfer Between Binary Brown Dwarfs Observed
A recent finding led by Caltech researchers has identified a close binary pair of brown dwarfs exhibiting active mass transfer, where one object is siphoning material from its companion. This groundbreaking observation utilized archival data captured by the Zwicky Transient Facility (ZTF) at Caltech's Palomar Observatory.
The expectation is that this mass transfer will ultimately result in the brown dwarfs merging to form a new star, or the brown dwarf accumulating mass igniting to become a star.
Samuel Whitebook, a Caltech graduate student and the lead author of a report on these findings published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters, commented that this discovery indicates brown dwarfs can display dynamic physical processes. Whitebook's advisors, Tom Prince and Dimitri Mawet, are co-authors of the study.
This finding marks the first recorded instance of mass transfer between binary brown dwarf objects. Previous observations of this type of mass transfer between binary objects involved more massive entities, such as white dwarfs, which are remnants of stars.