Prospects of using simulations to study the photospheres of brown dwarfs

Abstract

We discuss prospects of using multi-dimensional time-dependent simulations to study the atmospheres of brown dwarfs and extrasolar giant planets, including the processes of convection, radiation, dust formation, and rotation. We argue that reasonably realistic simulations are feasible, however, separated into two classes of local and global models. Numerical challenges are related to potentially large dynamic ranges, and the treatment of scattering of radiation in multi-D geometries.