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Stellar astronomy > Stellar types > Late-type stars > Late-type dwarf stars > L dwarfs
Stellar astronomy > Stellar types > Stellar evolutionary types > Brown dwarfs > L dwarfs

Preferred term

L dwarfs  

Definition

  • A type of brown dwarf with an effective temperature ranging from about 2200 K to about 1300 K, corresponding to luminosities about 4 x 10^-4 to 3 x 10^-5 times that of the Sun. L dwarfs are intermediate in temperature between M and T dwarfs. Their spectra in the optical show weak titanium oxide (TiO) and vanadium oxide (VO) absorption lines and strong metallic hydrides CrH (8611 and 9969 Å) and FeH (8692 and 9896 Å). Also are present strong neutral atomic lines of alkali metals Na I (8183, 8195 Å), K I (7665, 7699 Å), Rb I (7800, 7948 Å), Cs I (8521, 8943 Å), and sometimes Li I (6708 Å). The prototype of the L-dwarf class is GD 165B. (en)

Broader concept

Entry terms

  • L brown dwarfs (en)
  • L dwarf stars (en)
  • L-type brown dwarfs (en)

Contributor

Editorial note

URI

http://astrothesaurus.org/uat/894

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