Constraining Brown Dwarf Desert Formation Mechanisms through Bayesian Statistical Comparison of Observed and Simulated Populations
Abstract
We present a comprehensive Bayesian statistical analysis of brown dwarf companions to investigate the physical mechanisms responsible for the observed “brown dwarf desert’’ — the notable paucity of brown dwarf companions at orbital separations 5 AU), a constraint successfully reproduced only by the migration model. Our results provide quantitative evidence that brown dwarfs form at wide separations (10—30 AU) through disk fragmentation and undergo limited Type II migration to reach observed close-in locations, with migration naturally halting near 1 AU through gap-opening processes.
Fields of Study & Subjects
Stellar
planetary
and galactic studies
Astrophysics and Star Formation Studies
Astronomy and Astrophysical Research
Publication details
- Journal / source
- The Open Journal of Astrophysics
- Publisher
- Maynooth University
- Volume
- 9
- Publication date
- 24 March 2026
- Language
- EN