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1. Periodic Radio Emission from the T8 Dwarf WISE J062309.94–045624.6

   https://doi.org/10.3847/2041-8213/ace188  

   Rose, Kovi; Pritchard, Joshua; Murphy, Tara; Caleb, Manisha; Dobie, Dougal; Driessen, Laura; Duchesne, Stefan W.; Kaplan, David L.; Lenc, Emil; Wang, Ziteng (July 2023, The Astrophysical Journal Letters)

   Abstract We present the detection of rotationally modulated, circularly polarized radio emission from the T8 brown dwarf WISE J062309.94−045624.6 between 0.9 and 2.0 GHz. We detected this high-proper-motion ultracool dwarf with the Australian SKA Pathfinder in 1.36 GHz imaging data from the Rapid ASKAP Continuum Survey. We observed WISE J062309.94−045624.6 to have a time and frequency averaged StokesIflux density of 4.17 ± 0.41 mJy beam⁻¹, with an absolute circular polarization fraction of 66.3% ± 9.0%, and calculated a specific radio luminosity ofL_ν∼ 10^14.8erg s⁻¹Hz⁻¹. In follow-up observations with the Australian Telescope Compact Array and MeerKAT we identified a multipeaked pulse structure, used dynamic spectra to place a lower limit ofB> 0.71 kG on the dwarf’s magnetic field, and measured aP= 1.912 ± 0.005 hr periodicity, which we concluded to be due to rotational modulation. The luminosity and period we measured are comparable to those of other ultracool dwarfs observed at radio wavelengths. This implies that future megahertz to gigahertz surveys, with increased cadence and improved sensitivity, are likely to detect similar or later-type dwarfs. Our detection of WISE J062309.94−045624.6 makes this dwarf the coolest and latest-type star observed to produce radio emission. 

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2. ASKAP detection of periodic and elliptically polarized radio pulses from UV Ceti

   https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/stz1684  

   Zic, Andrew; Stewart, Adam; Lenc, Emil; Murphy, Tara; Lynch, Christene; Kaplan, David L; Hotan, Aidan; Anderson, Craig; Bunton, John D; Chippendale, Aaron; et al (June 2019, Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society)

   ABSTRACT Active M dwarfs are known to produce bursty radio emission, and multiwavelength studies have shown that solar-like magnetic activity occurs in these stars. However, coherent bursts from active M dwarfs have often been difficult to interpret in the solar activity paradigm. We present Australian Square Array Pathfinder (ASKAP) observations of UV Ceti at a central frequency of 888 MHz. We detect several periodic, coherent pulses occurring over a time-scale consistent with the rotational period of UV Ceti. The properties of the pulsed emission show that they originate from the electron cyclotron maser instability, in a cavity at least 7 orders of magnitude less dense than the mean coronal density at the estimated source altitude. These results confirm that auroral activity can occur in active M dwarfs, suggesting that these stars mark the beginning of the transition from solar-like to auroral magnetospheric behaviour. These results demonstrate the capabilities of ASKAP for detecting polarized, coherent bursts from active stars and other systems. 

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3. Earth-like Exoplanet detection through their auroral kilometric radiation (AKR)

   Abdulazeez, Rana; Lopez, Ramon; Bagheri, Fatemeh; Graga, Anshuman (October 2022, Bulletin of the American Physical Society)

   As of now the knowledge obtained on the extrasolar planetary magnetic fields is still small compared to what is known of the magnetic fields composed in our solar system. Planets with magnetic fields radiate in the radio band. Specifically, Auroral Kilometric radiation (AKR) originates from cyclotron emission of electrons orbiting the planet's magnetic field lines. In this project, we investigate the possibility of detecting the AKR emission of Earth-like exoplanets. We collect information on detected Earth-like exoplanets from NASA's exoplanet archive data. Assuming they have the same AKR emission as Earth, we calculate the detection probability of this emission using the Square Kilometric Array (SKA) radio telescope. 

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4. Methane emission from a cool brown dwarf

   https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-024-07190-w  

   Faherty, Jacqueline K; Burningham, Ben; Gagné, Jonathan; Suárez, Genaro; Vos, Johanna M; Alejandro_Merchan, Sherelyn; Morley, Caroline V; Rowland, Melanie; Lacy, Brianna; Kiman, Rocio; et al (April 2024, Nature)

   Abstract Beyond our Solar System, aurorae have been inferred from radio observations of isolated brown dwarfs^1,2. Within our Solar System, giant planets have auroral emission with signatures across the electromagnetic spectrum including infrared emission of H₃⁺and methane. Isolated brown dwarfs with auroral signatures in the radio have been searched for corresponding infrared features, but only null detections have been reported³. CWISEP J193518.59-154620.3. (W1935 for short) is an isolated brown dwarf with a temperature of approximately 482 K. Here we report James Webb Space Telescope observations of strong methane emission from W1935 at 3.326 μm. Atmospheric modelling leads us to conclude that a temperature inversion of approximately 300 K centred at 1–10 mbar replicates the feature. This represents an atmospheric temperature inversion for a Jupiter-like atmosphere without irradiation from a host star. A plausible explanation for the strong inversion is heating by auroral processes, although other internal and external dynamical processes cannot be ruled out. The best-fitting model rules out the contribution of H₃⁺emission, which is prominent in Solar System gas giants. However, this is consistent with rapid destruction of H₃⁺at the higher pressure where the W1935 emission originates⁴. 

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5. THE STRONGEST MAGNETIC FIELDS ON THE COOLEST BROWN DWARFS

   Melodie M. Kao, Gregg Hallinan (April 2018, Astrophysical journal)

   We have used the Jansky VLA to observe a sample of 5 known aurorally emitting late L and T dwarfs ranging in age from 0.2-3.4 Gyr. We observed each target for seven hours, extending to higher frequencies than previously attempted for objects in this sample. We establish proportionally higher limits on maximum surface magnetic field strengths while simultaneously placing constraints on rotation periods through detections of repeating pulses. Observations at 8{12 GHz yield measurements of 3.7{4.1 kG localized field strengths (corresponding to minimum mean surface fields between 2.7{2.9 kG) on four of our targets, including the archetypal cloud variable T2.5 dwarf SIMP J01365663+0933473 recently proposed to be a possible planetary-mass object in the Carina-Near moving group. We detect a circularly polarized radio pulse at 15{16.5 GHz for the T6.5 dwarf 2MASS 10475385+2124234, corresponding to a localized 5.6 kG field strength and minimum mean surface field of 4.0 kG. For the same object, we also tentatively detect a circularly polarized radio pulse at 16.5{18 GHz corresponding to a localized 6.2 kG field strength and minimum mean surface field of 4.4 kG. We measure rotation periods between 1.44-2.88 hr for all targets, supporting i) the emerging consensus in convective dynamo models that rapid rotation may be important for producing strong dipole fields and/or ii) rapid rotation is a key ingredient for driving the current systems powering auroral radio emission. We do not detect a clear cutoff in the pulsed emission for any targets, which would correspond to a maximum local surface magnetic field strength. However, we do observe evidence of variable structure in the frequency-dependent timeseries of our targets on timescales shorter than a rotation period, suggesting a higher degree of variability in the current systems near the surfaces of brown dwarfs, where emission at the highest frequencies are expected to probe. Finally, we find that old brown dwarfs may generate fields as strong as young brown dwarfs. 

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