What is it about?
We analyzed 55 planetary and substellar companions detected in wide orbits around main-sequence stars to explore the documented dearth of brown dwarfs, which are objects heavier than planets but not massive enough to become true stars. The authors confirmed the deficit of brown dwarfs around 30 times the mass of Jupiter and showed that it extends beyond the snow line to about 20 astronomical units, a range not previously probed. The results suggest that this so-called brown dwarf desert reflects two distinct formation pathways for lower- and higher-mass companions.
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Photo by NASA Hubble Space Telescope on Unsplash
Why is it important?
We identified a universal brown dwarf desert between planets and stars. This desert separates two distinct populations formed through different mechanisms: Lower-mass companions likely formed by core accretion, while higher-mass companions formed by gravitational instability. Our findings provide observational evidence that the existence of the brown dwarf desert results from these two distinct formation pathways.
Perspectives
Our team completed this paper over an extended period. Producing high-quality work takes time, but it is well worth the effort. We hope it will have a lasting and meaningful impact on the community over the long term.
Fabo Feng
Shanghai Jiao Tong University
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: A universal brown dwarf desert formed between planets and stars, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, February 2026, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences,
DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2524764123.
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