SPHEREx Takes Spectra of 33 Brown Dwarfs, and Atmosphere Models Fall Short

NASA's SPHEREx telescope captured spectra of 33 nearby brown dwarfs across 102 channels from 0.75 to 5 microns. None of five leading atmosphere models matched the data, with predicted sizes off by 20-50%.

• SPHEREx observed 33 brown dwarfs located 7 to 100 light years away
• Spectra span 102 channels from 0.75 to 5 microns, covering 80% of their IR output
• Models missed near-infrared flux peaks at 1-2.5 microns and the 4.0-micron opacity window
• Predicted sizes were physically unrealistic and off by 20-50%