scholarly journals The Brown Dwarf Kinematics Project (BDKP). V. Radial and Rotational Velocities of T Dwarfs from Keck/NIRSPEC High-resolution Spectroscopy

2021 ◽  
Vol 257 (2) ◽  
pp. 45
Author(s):  
Chih-Chun Hsu ◽  
Adam J. Burgasser ◽  
Christopher A. Theissen ◽  
Christopher R. Gelino ◽  
Jessica L. Birky ◽  
...  

Abstract We report multiepoch radial velocities, rotational velocities, and atmospheric parameters for 37 T-type brown dwarfs observed with Keck/NIRSPEC. Using a Markov Chain Monte Carlo forward-modeling method, we achieve median precisions of 0.5 and 0.9 km s−1 for radial and rotational velocities, respectively. All of the T dwarfs in our sample are thin-disk brown dwarfs. We confirm previously reported moving group associations for four T dwarfs. However, the lack of spectral indicators of youth in two of these sources suggests that these are chance alignments. We confirm two previously unresolved binary candidates, the T0+T4.5 2MASS J11061197+2754225 and the L7+T3.5 2MASS J21265916+7617440, with orbital periods of 4 and 12 yr, respectively. We find a kinematic age of 3.5 ± 0.3 Gyr for local T dwarfs, consistent with nearby late M dwarfs (4.1 ± 0.3 Gyr). Removal of thick-disk L dwarfs in the local ultracool dwarf sample gives a similar age for L dwarfs (4.2 ± 0.3 Gyr), largely resolving the local L dwarf age anomaly. The kinematic ages of local late M, L, and T dwarfs can be accurately reproduced with population simulations incorporating standard assumptions of the mass function, star formation rate, and brown dwarf evolutionary models. A kinematic dispersion break is found at the L4–L6 subtypes, likely reflecting the terminus of the stellar main sequence. We provide a compilation of precise radial velocities for 172 late M, L, and T dwarfs within ∼20 pc of the Sun.

1998 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 435-435
Author(s):  
Hugh R.A. Jones ◽  
Mike R.S. Hawkins

In a recent survey for faint red stars from a digital stack of Schmidt plates a number of candidate objects were identified. Parallax’s for three of these objects have been reported showing them to have luminosities which interpreted within the available evolutionary models indicate them to be good brown dwarf candidates. Here we examine spectra of these objects and others from the plate stack. Using standard spectral indices we find that for a given spectral type their spectra are more consistent with the Pleiades brown dwarfs (PPL 15, Teide 1 and Calar 3) than with standard late-type M dwarfs. Our interpretation is that this is due to their selection by RF IN colours which at values > 3 preferentially selects objects with relatively low gravities. For late-type M dwarfs and brown dwarfs low gravities are expected to be a reliable indication of youth. We also notice that the stack objects generally have strong FeH absorption for their spectral type. Current model atmospheres suggest that FeH strongly increases in strength toward lower metallicities and lower temperatures. We believe that this is not consistent with the available observational evidence from late-type M dwarfs. It is possible that solid Fe is forming inthe low temperature atmospheres relatively depleting FeH strengths toward lower temperatures. We find some evidence that for dwarfs at low temperatures dust formation is less prevalent in lower gravity objects suggesting that dwarfs at low temperatures stronger FeH may be an indication of youth. In addition to the spectral evidence the three stack objects whose parallax’s have been measured show small tangential velocities which is a further indication of youth.


2020 ◽  
Vol 634 ◽  
pp. A128
Author(s):  
D. Nguyen-Thanh ◽  
N. Phan-Bao ◽  
S. J. Murphy ◽  
M. S. Bessell

Context. Studying the accretion process in very low-mass objects has important implications for understanding their formation mechanism. Many nearby late-M dwarfs that have previously been identified in the field are in fact young brown dwarf members of nearby young associations. Some of them are still accreting. They are therefore excellent targets for further studies of the accretion process in the very low-mass regime at different stages. Aims. We aim to search for accreting young brown dwarf candidates in a sample of 85 nearby late-M dwarfs. Methods. Using photometric data from DENIS, 2MASS, and WISE, we constructed the spectral energy distribution of the late- M dwarfs based on BT-Settl models to detect infrared excesses. We then searched for lithium and Hα emission in candidates that exhibit infrared excesses to confirm their youth and the presence of accretion. Results. Among the 85 late-M dwarfs, only DENIS-P J1538317−103850 (M5.5) shows strong infrared excesses in WISE bands. The detection of lithium absorption in the M5.5 dwarf and its Gaia trigonometric parallax indicate an age of ~1 Myr and a mass of 47 MJ. The Hα emission line in the brown dwarf shows significant variability that indicates sporadic accretion. This 1 Myr-old brown dwarf also exhibits intense accretion bursts with accretion rates of up to 10−7.9 M⊙ yr−1. Conclusions. Our detection of sporadic accretion in one of the youngest brown dwarfs might imply that sporadic accretion at early stages could play an important role in the formation of brown dwarfs. Very low-mass cores would not be able to accrete enough material to become stars, and thus they end up as brown dwarfs.


2003 ◽  
Vol 211 ◽  
pp. 181-182
Author(s):  
Paul D. Dobbie ◽  
Richard F. Jameson ◽  
Samantha L. Osborne ◽  
Simon T. Hodgkin ◽  
David J. Pinfield

We have compiled the largest magnitude limited sample of candidate substellar Pleiads to date. We fit King profiles to their spatial distribution to determine the Pleiades brown dwarf core radius to be Subsequently we have used our improved spatial model to place stringent limits on the shape of the cluster mass function across and below the stellar/substellar regime. We find this to be a power law with index α = 0.41±0.08 (0.3M⊙ ≥M≥ 0.035M⊙). Extrapolation of this mass function to M= 0.012M⊙ indicates that brown dwarfs contribute only ~ 2% to the total mass of the cluster hence we conclude that brown dwarfs do not contribute significantly to disk dark matter.


2009 ◽  
Vol 5 (H15) ◽  
pp. 761-761
Author(s):  
C. V. Cardoso ◽  
M. J. McCaughrean ◽  
R. R. King ◽  
L. M. Close ◽  
R.-D. Scholz ◽  
...  

Binary brown dwarfs are important because their dynamical masses can be determined in a model-independent way. If a main sequence star is also involved, the age and metallicity for the system can be determined, making it possible to break the sub-stellar mass-age degeneracy. The most suitable benchmark system for intermediate age T dwarfs is ε Indi Ba,b, two T dwarfs (spectral types T1 and T6; McCaughrean et al. (2004)) orbiting a K4.5V star, ε Indi A, at a projected separation of 1460AU. At a distance of 3.6224pc (HIPPARCOS distance to ε Indi A; van Leeuwen (2007)), these are the closest brown dwarfs to the Earth, and thus both components are bright and the system is well-resolved. The system has been monitored astrometrically with NACO and FORS2 on the VLT since June 2004 and August 2005, respectively, in order to determine the system and individual masses independent of evolutionary models. We have obtained a preliminary system mass of 121±1MJup. We have also analysed optical/near-IR spectra (0.6-5.0μm at a resolution up to R~5000; King et al. (2009)) allowing us to determine bolometric luminosities, compare and calibrate evolutionary and atmospheric models of T dwarfs at an age of 4-8Gyr.


2018 ◽  
Vol 619 ◽  
pp. A77 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Klencki ◽  
M. Moe ◽  
W. Gladysz ◽  
M. Chruslinska ◽  
D. E. Holz ◽  
...  

The distributions of the initial main-sequence binary parameters are one of the key ingredients in obtaining evolutionary predictions for compact binary (BH–BH/BH–NS/NS–NS) merger rates. Until now, such calculations were done under the assumption that initial binary parameter distributions were independent. For the first time, we implement empirically derived inter-correlated distributions of initial binary parameters primary mass (M1), mass ratio (q), orbital period (P), and eccentricity (e). Unexpectedly, the introduction of inter-correlated initial binary parameters leads to only a small decrease in the predicted merger rates by a factor of ≲2–3 relative to the previously used non-correlated initial distributions. The formation of compact object mergers in the isolated classical binary evolution favours initial binaries with stars of comparable masses (q ≈ 0.5–1) at intermediate orbital periods (log P (days) = 2–4). New distributions slightly shift the mass ratios towards lower values with respect to the previously used flat q distribution, which is the dominant effect decreasing the rates. New orbital periods (∼1.3 more initial systems within log P (days) = 2–4), together with new eccentricities (higher), only negligibly increase the number of progenitors of compact binary mergers. Additionally, we discuss the uncertainty of merger rate predictions associated with possible variations of the massive-star initial mass function (IMF). We argue that evolutionary calculations should be normalized to a star formation rate (SFR) that is obtained from the observed amount of UV light at wavelength 1500 Å (an SFR indicator). In this case, contrary to recent reports, the uncertainty of the IMF does not affect the rates by more than a factor of ∼2. Any change to the IMF slope for massive stars requires a change of SFR in a way that counteracts the impact of IMF variations on compact object merger rates. In contrast, we suggest that the uncertainty in cosmic SFR at low metallicity can be a significant factor at play.


2004 ◽  
Vol 202 ◽  
pp. 269-276
Author(s):  
Mark S. Marley ◽  
Andrew S. Ackerman

Clouds and hazes are important throughout our solar system and in the atmospheres of brown dwarfs and extrasolar giant planets. Among the brown dwarfs, clouds control the colors and spectra of the L-dwarfs; the disappearance of clouds helps herald the arrival of the T-dwarfs. The structure and composition of clouds will be among the first remote-sensing results from the direct detection of extrasolar giant planets.


2015 ◽  
Vol 220 (1) ◽  
pp. 18 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adam J. Burgasser ◽  
Sarah E. Logsdon ◽  
Jonathan Gagné ◽  
John J. Bochanski ◽  
Jaqueline K. Faherty ◽  
...  

2020 ◽  
Vol 635 ◽  
pp. A29 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. R. Patrick ◽  
D. J. Lennon ◽  
C. J. Evans ◽  
H. Sana ◽  
J. Bodensteiner ◽  
...  

Context. The multiplicity properties of massive stars are one of the important outstanding issues in stellar evolution. Quantifying the binary statistics of all evolutionary phases is essential to paint a complete picture of how and when massive stars interact with their companions, and to determine the consequences of these interactions. Aims. We investigate the multiplicity of an almost complete census of red supergiant stars (RSGs) in NGC 330, a young massive cluster in the Small Magellanic Cloud. Methods. Using a combination of multi-epoch HARPS and MUSE spectroscopy, we estimate radial velocities and assess the kinematic and multiplicity properties of 15 RSGs in NGC 330. Results. Radial velocities are estimated to better than ±100 m s−1 for the HARPS data. The line-of-sight velocity dispersion for the cluster is estimated as σ1D = 3.20 +0.69−0.52 km s−1. When virial equilibrium is assumed, the dynamical mass of the cluster is log (Mdyn/M⊙) = 5.20 ± 0.17, in good agreement with previous upper limits. We detect significant radial velocity variability in our multi-epoch observations and distinguish between variations caused by atmospheric activity and those caused by binarity. The binary fraction of NGC 330 RSGs is estimated by comparisons with simulated observations of systems with a range of input binary fractions. In this way, we account for observational biases and estimate the intrinsic binary fraction for RSGs in NGC 330 as fRSG = 0.3 ± 0.1 for orbital periods in the range 2.3 < log P [days] < 4.3, with q >  0.1. Using the distribution of the luminosities of the RSG population, we estimate the age of NGC 330 to be 45 ± 5 Myr and estimate a red straggler fraction of 50%. Conclusions. We estimate the binary fraction of RSGs in NGC 330 and conclude that it appears to be lower than that of main-sequence massive stars, which is expected because interactions between an RSG and a companion are assumed to effectively strip the RSG envelope.


2016 ◽  
Vol 25 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Sichevsky ◽  
O. Malkov

AbstractDeveloping methods for analyzing and extracting information from modern sky surveys is a challenging task in astrophysical studies. We study possibilities of parameterizing stars and interstellar medium from multicolor photometry performed in three modern photometric surveys: GALEX, SDSS, and 2MASS. For this purpose, we have developed a method to estimate stellar radius from effective temperature and gravity with the help of evolutionary tracks and model stellar atmospheres. In accordance with the evolution rate at every point of the evolutionary track, star formation rate, and initial mass function, a weight is assigned to the resulting value of radius that allows us to estimate the radius more accurately. The method is verified for the most populated areas of the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram: main-sequence stars and red giants, and it was found to be rather precise (for main-sequence stars, the average relative error of radius and its standard deviation are 0.03% and 3.87%, respectively).


2003 ◽  
Vol 211 ◽  
pp. 281-286
Author(s):  
John E. Gizis

Many widely separated companions to main-sequence stars have been found using 2MASS. These companions include both stars and brown dwarfs. I discuss a number of systems of particular interest. Present indications are that a few percent of G dwarfs have brown dwarf companions.


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