Spectral Properties of Brown Dwarfs and Hot Jupiters

Brown dwarfs bridge the gap between the stellar and planetary mass regimes. Evolving from conditions very similar to the lowest-mass stars, the atmospheres of older brown dwarfs closely resemble those expected in close-in extrasolar giant planets, and with cooler BDs still being discovered, more and more approach the properties of gas giants at wider separation. Interpreting the spectra of BDs is therefore a crucial step towards understanding and predicting the spectral and thermal