98 research outputs found
Probing M subdwarf metallicity with an esdK5+esdM5.5 binary
We present a spectral analysis of the binary G 224-58 AB that consists of the coolest M extreme subdwarf (esdM5.5) and a brighter primary (esdK5). This binary may serve as a benchmark for metallicity measurement calibrations and as a test-bed for atmospheric and evolutionary models for esdM objects. We determine abundances primarily using high resolution optical spectra of the primary. Other parameters were determined from the fits of synthetic spectra computed with these abundances to the observed spectra from 0.4 to 2.5 microns for both components. We determine \Tef =4625 100 K, \logg = 4.5 0.5 for the A component and \Tef = 3200 100 K, \logg = 5.0 0.5, for the B component. We obtained abundances of [Mg/H]=1.510.08, [Ca/H]=1.390.03, [Ti/H]=1.370.03 for alpha group elements and [CrH]=1.880.07, [Mn/H]=1.960.06, [Fe/H]=1.920.02, [Ni/H]=1.810.05 and [Ba/H]W=1.870.11 for iron group elements from fits to the spectral lines observed in the optical and infrared spectral regions of the primary. We find consistent abundances with fits to the secondary albeit at lower signal-to-noise. Abundances of elements in \ga and \gb atmospheres cannot be described by one metallicity parameter. The offset of 0.4 dex between the abundances derived from alpha element and iron group elements corresponds with our expectation for metal-deficient stars. We thus clarify that some indices used to date to measure metallicities for establishing esdM stars based on CaH, MgH and TiO band system strength ratios in the optical and HO in the infrared relate to abundances of alpha-element group rather than to iron peak elements. For metal deficient M dwarfs with [Fe/H]Peer reviewe
Identifying Ultra-Cool Dwarfs at Low Galactic Latitudes: A Southern Candidate Catalogue
We present an Ultra-Cool Dwarf (UCD) catalogue compiled from low southern
Galactic latitudes and mid-plane, from a cross-correlation of the 2MASS and
SuperCOSMOS surveys. The catalogue contains 246 members identified from 5042
sq. deg. within 220 deg. <= l <= 360 deg. and 0 deg. < l <= 30 deg., for |b| <=
15 deg. Sixteen candidates are spectroscopically confirmed in the near-IR as
UCDs with spectral types from M7.5V to L9. Our catalogue selection method is
presented enabling UCDs from ~M8V to the L-T transition to be selected down to
a 2MASS limiting magnitude of Ks ~= 14.5 mag. This method does not require
candidates to have optical detections for catalogue inclusion. An optimal set
of optical/near-IR and reduced proper-motion selection criteria have been
defined that includes: an Rf and Ivn photometric surface gravity test, a dual
Rf-band variability check, and an additional photometric classification scheme
to selectively limit contaminants. We identify four candidates as possible
companions to nearby Hipparcos stars -- observations are needed to identify
these as potential benchmark UCD companions. We also identify twelve UCDs
within a possible distance 20 pc, three are previously unknown of which two are
estimated within 10 pc, complimenting the nearby volume-limited census of UCDs.
An analysis of the catalogue spatial completeness provides estimates for
distance completeness over three UCD MJ ranges, while Monte-Carlo simulations
provide an estimate of catalogue areal completeness at the 75 per cent level.
We estimate a UCD space density of Rho (total) = (6.41+-3.01)x10^3/pc^3 over
the range of 10.5 <= MJ ~< 14.9, similar to values measured at higher Galactic
latitudes (|b| ~> 10 deg.) in the field population and obtained from more
robust spectroscopically confirmed UCD samples.Comment: MNRAS accepted April 2012. Contains 30 figures and 11 tables. Tables
2 and 6 to be published in full and on-line only. The on-line tables can also
be obtained by contacting the author
Search for free-floating planetary-mass objects in the Pleiades
(Abridged) We aim at identifying the least massive population of the solar
metallicity, young (120 Myr), nearby (133.5 pc) Pleiades star cluster with the
ultimate goal of understanding the physical properties of intermediate-age,
free-floating, low-mass brown dwarfs and giant planetary-mass objects, and
deriving the cluster substellar mass function across the deuterium-burning mass
limit at ~0.012 Msol. We performed a deep photometric and astrometric J- and
H-band survey covering an area of ~0.8 deg^2. The images with completeness and
limiting magnitudes of J,H ~ 20.2 and ~ 21.5 mag were acquired ~9 yr apart
(proper motion precision of +/-6 mas/yr). J- and H-band data were complemented
with Z, K, and mid-infrared magnitudes up to 4.6 micron coming from UKIDSS,
WISE, and follow-up observations of our own. Pleiades member candidates were
selected to have proper motions compatible with that of the cluster, and colors
following the known Pleiades sequence in the interval J = 15.5-8.8 mag, and
Z_UKIDSS - J > 2.3 mag or Z nondetections for J > 18.8 mag. We found a neat
sequence of astrometric and photometric Pleiades substellar member candidates
in the intervals J = 15.5-21.2 mag and ~0.072-0.008 Msol. The faintest objects
show very red near- and mid-infrared colors exceeding those of field
high-gravity dwarfs by >0.5 mag. The Pleiades photometric sequence does not
show any color turn-over because of the presence of photospheric methane
absorption down to J = 20.3 mag, which is about 1 mag fainter than predicted by
the color-computed models. Pleiades brown dwarfs have a proper motion
dispersion of 6.4-7.5 mas/yr and are dynamically relaxed at the age of the
cluster. The Pleiades mass function extends down to the deuterium burning-mass
threshold, with a slope fairly similar to that of other young star clusters and
stellar associations.Comment: Accepted for publication in A&A. 16 page
Light elements in stars with exoplanets
Light elements are important tracers of the internal stellar structure and kinematics. Li and Be are both burned in the stellar interiors but Be requires much higher temperatures and thus we can expect to measure Be abundances in stars which have no detectable Li in their atmospheres. The study of these elements can give us information about processes related to the angular momentum history of these stars, since rotation and angular momentum loss are important mechanisms responsible for the depletion of light elements. Additionally, if pollution has played an important role in determining the high-metal content of planet host stars, we would expect to find a similar or even higher increase in the Li and Be contents. We present Be and Li abundances in a sample of 69 stars with planets and 31 stars without known planetary companion, spanning a large range of effective temperature
Light elements in stars with exoplanets
It is well known that stars orbited by giant planets have higher abundances of heavy elements when compared with average field dwarfs. A number of studies have also addressed the possibility that light element abundances are different in these stars. In this paper we will review the present status of these studies. The most significant trends will be discusse
Discovery of a new Y dwarf: WISE J030449.03-270508.3
This is a pre-copyedited, author-produced PDF of an article accepted for publication in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society following peer review. The version of record [D. J. Pinfield, et al, Discovery of a new Y dwarf: WISE J030449.03−270508.3, MNRAS, Vol. 444 (2): 1931-1939, September 2014] is available online at: https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/stu1540.We present a new Y dwarf, WISE J030449.03−270508.3, confirmed from a candidate sample designed to pick out low-temperature objects from the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) data base. The new object is typed Y0pec following a visual comparison with spectral standards, and lies at a likely distance of 10–17 pc. Its tangential velocity suggests thin disc membership, but it shows some spectral characteristics that suggest that it may be metal poor and/or older than previously identified Y0 dwarfs. Based on trends seen for warmer late-type T dwarfs, the Y-band flux peak morphology is indicative of sub-solar metallicity, and the enhanced red wing of the J-band flux peak offers evidence for high gravity and/or low metallicity (with associated model trends suggesting an age closer to ∼10 Gyr and mass in the range 0.02–0.03 Mȯ). This object may thus be extending the population parameter space of the known Y0 dwarfs.Peer reviewe
Light elements in stars with exoplanets
It is well known that stars orbited by giant planets have higher abundances
of heavy elements when compared with average field dwarfs. A number of studies
have also addressed the possibility that light element abundances are different
in these stars. In this paper we will review the present status of these
studies. The most significant trends will be discussed.Comment: 10 pages, 6 figures. Submitted to the proceedings of IAU symposium
268: Light elements in the universe
Ultracool dwarf benchmarks with \emph{Gaia} primaries
This article has been accepted for publication in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. © 2017 The Author(s). Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Royal Astronomical Society. All rights reserved.We explore the potential of \emph{Gaia} for the field of benchmark ultracool/brown dwarf companions, and present the results of an initial search for metal-rich/metal-poor systems. A simulated population of resolved ultracool dwarf companions to \emph{Gaia} primary stars is generated and assessed. Of order 24,000 companions should be identifiable outside of the Galactic plane (deg) with large-scale ground- and space-based surveys including late M, L, T, and Y types. Our simulated companion parameter space covers , , and , with systems required to have a false alarm probability 0.6\, kau}\,Peer reviewedFinal Accepted Versio
Primeval very low-mass stars and brown dwarfs. I. Six new L subdwarfs, classification and atmospheric properties
This article has been accepted for publication in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. ©: 2016 The Authors. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Royal Astronomical Society. All rights reservedWe have conducted a search for L subdwarf candidates within the photometric catalogues of the UKIRT Infrared Deep Sky Survey and Sloan Digital Sky Survey. Six of our candidates are confirmed as L subdwarfs spectroscopically at optical and/or near infrared wavelengths. We also present new optical spectra of three previously known L subdwarfs (WISEA J001450.17-083823.4, 2MASS J00412179+3547133, ULAS J124425.75+102439.3). We examined the spectral types and metallicity subclasses classification of known L subdwarfs. We summarised the spectroscopic properties of L subdwarfs with different spectral types and subclasses. We classify these new L subdwarfs by comparing their spectra to known L subdwarfs and L dwarf standards. We estimate temperatures and metallicities of 22 late type M and L subdwarfs by comparing their spectra to BT-Settl models. We find that L subdwarfs have temperatures between 1500 K and 2700 K, which are higher than similarly-typed L dwarfs by around 100-400 K depending on different subclasses and subtypes. We constrained the metallicity ranges of subclasses of M, L and T subdwarfs. We also discussed the spectral type and absolute magnitude relationships for L and T subdwarfs.Peer reviewedFinal Published versio
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