Rutgers University Astrophysics Seminar

The observation and modeling of substellar objects, such as brown dwarfs and exoplanets, allow us to probe the physics and chemistry governing their atmospheres, which is key to understanding their diversity. In this talk, I will present recent progress in explaining the appearance of extrasolar worlds, from the hottest (~2300 K) to the coldest (~400 K). In particular, I will discuss results on the formation, composition, evolution, and distribution of dust clouds that shape the emergent spectra of the warmest brown dwarfs and directly imaged exoplanets, based on Spitzer and JWST mid-infrared observations. I will also highlight JWST findings that are helping us understand the physical and chemical processes dominating the coldest extrasolar atmospheres.