Ultracool Brown Dwarfs Research Articles

A New Grid of Model Atmospheres for Metal-poor Ultracool Brown Dwarfs

Abstract We present a new grid of model atmospheres and synthetic spectra down to extremely metal-poor ([M/H] ≥ −3.0), ultracool (T eff ≥ 900 K) brown dwarfs based on the PHOENIX code (Hauschildt et al. 1997). The grid is publicly available and continuously updated as new models are computed. The models are aimed at characterizing metal-poor halo brown dwarfs identified in surveys such as Backyard Worlds: Planet 9 (Kuchner et al. 2017; Schneider et al. 2020) and brown dwarfs in globular clusters (Dieball et al. 2019). Our setup includes the formation and depletion by gravitational settling of condensate clouds as defined for the BT-Settl grid of Allard et al. (2012), using the version 15.5 branch of PHOENIX, which was split off from the main branch (Barman et al. 2011; Husser et al. 2013). Our calculations employ the Allard & Homeier cloud formation model (Helling et al. 2008; Allard et al. 2012).

Cloud Atlas: Weak Color Modulations Due to Rotation in the Planetary-mass Companion GU Psc b and 11 Other Brown Dwarfs

Abstract Among the greatest challenges in understanding ultracool brown dwarf and exoplanet atmospheres is the evolution of cloud structure as a function of temperature and gravity. In this study, we present the rotational modulations of GU Psc b—a rare mid-T spectral type planetary-mass companion at the end of the L/T spectral type transition. Based on the Hubble Space Telescope/WFC3 1.1–1.67 μm time-series spectra, we observe a quasi-sinusoidal light curve with a peak-to-trough flux variation of 2.7% and a minimum period of 8 h. The rotation-modulated spectral variations are weakly wavelength-dependent, or largely gray between 1.1 and 1.67 μm. The gray modulations indicate that heterogeneous clouds are present in the photosphere of this low-gravity mid-T dwarf. We place the color and brightness variations of GU Psc b in the context of rotational modulations reported for mid-L to late-T dwarfs. Based on these observations, we report a tentative trend: mid-to-late T dwarfs become slightly redder in J − H color with increasing J-band brightness, while L dwarfs become slightly bluer with increasing brightness. If this trend is verified with more T-dwarf samples, it suggests that in addition to the mostly gray modulations, there is a second-order spectral-type dependence on the nature of rotational modulations.

A Uniform Retrieval Analysis of Ultra-cool Dwarfs. III. Properties of Y Dwarfs

Abstract Ultra-cool brown dwarfs offer a unique window into understanding substellar atmospheric physics and chemistry. Their strong molecular absorption bands at infrared wavelengths, Jupiter-like radii, cool temperatures, and lack of complicating stellar irradiation make them ideal test beds for understanding Jovian-like atmospheres. Here, we report the findings of a uniform atmospheric retrieval analysis on a set of 14 Y- and T-type dwarfs observed with the Hubble Space Telescope Wide Field Camera 3 instrument. From our retrieval analysis, we find the temperature structures to be largely consistent with radiative-convective equilibrium in most objects. We also determine the abundances of water, methane, and ammonia, as well as upper limits on the alkali metals sodium and potassium. The constraints on water and methane are consistent with predictions from chemical equilibrium models, while those of ammonia may be affected by vertical disequilibrium mixing, consistent with previous works. Our key result stems from the constraints on the alkali metal abundances where we find their continued depletion with decreasing effective temperature, consistent with the trend identified in a previous retrieval analysis on a sample of slightly warmer late T-dwarfs in Line et al. (2017). These constraints show that the previously observed Y–J color trend across the T/Y transition is most likely due to the depletion of these metals, in accordance with predictions from equilibrium condensate rainout chemistry. Finally, we simulate future James Webb Space Telescope observations of ultra-cool dwarfs and find that the Near Infrared Spectrometer (NIRSpec) PRISM offers the best chance at developing high-precision constraints on fundamental atmospheric characteristics.

Searching for Photometric Variability across the L, T & Y Dwarf Sequence

AbstractTo investigate the atmospheres of ultracool brown dwarfs with temperatures covering the range of transiting and directly imaged planets, we have monitored a sample of 76 L, T and Y brown dwarfs for infrared photometric variability. This survey was conducted in the J-band using both the SOFI camera on the 3.5-m NTT and the SWIRC camera on the 6.5-m MMT. Each target was observed for a period ranging from 2.0 hours to 6.0 hours, covering a significant fraction of the expected rotation period. Breakup of the iron and silicate clouds into a patchy cloud layer has been suggested as an explanation for the variability of several objects identified at the L/T transition, and a similar process with sulfide clouds may be manifest in T/Y transition objects; our data provides the first test of these patchy cloud scenarios across the entire brown dwarf spectral range.

PARALLAXES AND PROPER MOTIONS OF ULTRACOOL BROWN DWARFS OF SPECTRAL TYPES Y AND LATE T

We present astrometric measurements of eleven nearby ultracool brown dwarfs of spectral types Y and late-T, based on imaging observations from a variety of space-based and ground-based telescopes. These measurements have been used to estimate relative parallaxes and proper motions via maximum likelihood fitting of geometric model curves. To compensate for the modest statistical significance (<~ 7) of our parallax measurements we have employed a novel Bayesian procedure for distance estimation which makes use of an a priori distribution of tangential velocities, Vtan, assumed similar to that implied by previous observations of T dwarfs. Our estimated distances are therefore somewhat dependent on that assumption. Nevertheless, the results have yielded distances for five of our eight Y dwarfs and all three T dwarfs. Estimated distances in all cases are >~ 3 pc. In addition, we have obtained significant estimates of Vtan for two of the Y dwarfs; both are <100 km/s, consistent with membership in the thin disk population. Comparison of absolute magnitudes with model predictions as a function of color shows that the Y dwarfs are significantly redder in J-H than predicted by a cloud-free model

THE DISCOVERY OF Y DWARFS USING DATA FROM THEWIDE-FIELD INFRARED SURVEY EXPLORER(WISE)

We present the discovery of seven ultracool brown dwarfs identified with the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE). Near-infrared spectroscopy reveals deep absorption bands of H2O and CH4 that indicate all seven of the brown dwarfs have spectral types later than UGPS J072227.51−054031.2, the latest-type T dwarf currently known. The spectrum of WISEP J182831.08+265037.8 is distinct in that the heights of the J- and H-band peaks are approximately equal in units of fλ, so we identify it as the archetypal member of the Y spectral class. The spectra of at least two of the other brown dwarfs exhibit absorption on the blue wing of the H-band peak that we tentatively ascribe to NH3. These spectral morphological changes provide a clear transition between the T dwarfs and the Y dwarfs. In order to produce a smooth near-infrared spectral sequence across the T/Y dwarf transition, we have reclassified UGPS 0722−05 as the T9 spectral standard and tentatively assign WISEP J173835.52+273258.9 as the Y0 spectral standard. In total, six of the seven new brown dwarfs are classified as Y dwarfs: four are classified as Y0, one is classified as Y0 (pec?), and WISEP J1828+2650 is classified as >Y0. We have also compared the spectra to the model atmospheres of Marley and Saumon and infer that the brown dwarfs have effective temperatures ranging from 300 K to 500 K, making them the coldest spectroscopically confirmed brown dwarfs known to date.

Two very nearby (d ~ 5 pc) ultracool brown dwarfs detected by their large proper motions from WISE, 2MASS, and SDSS data

Aims: WISE provides an infrared all-sky survey which aims at completing our knowledge on the possibly dramatically increasing number of brown dwarfs with lower temperatures. We search for the nearest representatives of the coolest brown dwarfs, which will be very interesting for detailed follow-up observations, once they haven been discovered. Methods: We have used the preliminary data release from WISE, selected bright candidates with colours typical of late-T dwarfs, tried to match them with faint 2MASS and SDSS objects, to determine their proper motions, and to follow-up them spectroscopically. Results: We have identified two new ultracool brown dwarfs, WISE J0254+0223 and WISE J1741+2553, with large proper motions of about 2.5 and 1.5 arcsec/yr, respectively. With their w1-w2~3.0 and J-w2~4.0 colour indices we expect both to have a spectral type of ~T8-T10 and absolute magnitude of M_{w2}~14. We confirm WISE J1741+2553 as a T9-T10 dwarf from near-infrared spectroscopy with LBT/LUCIFER1. From their bright WISE w2 magnitudes of 12.7 and 12.3, we estimate distances of 5.5$^{+2.3}_{-1.6}$ pc and 4.6$^{+1.2}_{-1.0}$ pc and tangential velocities of ~65 km/s and ~34 km/s indicating Galactic thick and thin disk membership, respectively.

Extending the Canada-France Brown Dwarf Survey to the near infrared

We present the first results of the Canada-France Brown Dwarfs Survey-InfraRed, hereafter CFBDSIR, our near infrared extension to the optical wide field survey CFBDS. Our final objectives are to constrain ultracool atmosphere physics by finding a statistically significant sample of objects cooler than 600K and to explore the ultracool brown dwarf mass function building on a well defined sample of such objects. We identify candidates in CFHT/Wircam J and CFHT/MegaCam z ′ images using optimized psf-fitting within Source Extractor, and follow them up with pointed near infrared imaging with SOFI at NTT. We have so far analysed and followed up all candidates on the first 66 square degrees of the 280 square degrees survey. We identified 64 T dwarfs candidates with z ′− J > 3.5 and have confirmed 3 of them as ultracool brown dwarfs (later than T7 dwarfs and Y dwarfs candidates), and 14 of them as early and mid-T dwarfs based on their far red and NIR colours. We also present here the NIR spectra of one of these ultracool dwarfs, CFBDSIR1458 which confirms it as one of the coldest brown dwarf known, in the 500–600 K temperature range.

THE FIRST ULTRA-COOL BROWN DWARF DISCOVERED BY THE WIDE-FIELD INFRARED SURVEY EXPLORER

We report the discovery of the first new ultra-cool brown dwarf found with the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE). The object's preliminary designation is WISEPC J045853.90+643451.9. Follow-up spectroscopy with the LUCIFER instrument on the Large Binocular Telescope indicates that it is a very late-type T dwarf with a spectral type approximately equal to T9. Fits to an IRTF/SpeX 0.8-2.5 micron spectrum to the model atmospheres of Marley and Saumon indicate an effective temperature of approximately 600 K as well as the presence of vertical mixing in its atmosphere. The new brown dwarf is easily detected by WISE, with a signal-to-noise ratio of ~36 at 4.6 microns. Current estimates place it at a distance of 6 to 10 pc. This object represents the first in what will likely be hundreds of nearby brown dwarfs found by WISE that will be suitable for follow up observations, including those with the James Webb Space Telescope. One of the two primary scientific goals of the WISE mission is to find the coolest, closest stars to our Sun; the discovery of this new brown dwarf proves that WISE is capable of fulfilling this objective.

The ultracool-field dwarf luminosity-function and space density from the Canada-France Brown Dwarf Survey

Context. Thanks to recent and ongoing large scale surveys, hundreds of brown dwarfs have been discovered in the last decade. The Canada-France Brown Dwarf Survey is a wide-field survey for cool brown dwarfs conducted with the MegaCam camera on the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope telescope. Aims. Our objectives are to find ultracool brown dwarfs and to constrain the field brown-dwarf luminosity function and the mass function from a large and homogeneous sample of L and T dwarfs. Methods. We identify candidates in CFHT/MegaCam i' and z' images and follow them up with pointed near infrared (NIR) imaging on several telescopes. Halfway through our survey we found ~50 T dwarfs and ~170 L or ultra cool M dwarfs drawn from a larger sample of 1400 candidates with typical ultracool dwarfs i' - z' colours, found in 780 square degrees. Results. We have currently completed the NIR follow-up on a large part of the survey for all candidates from mid-L dwarfs down to the latest T dwarfs known with utracool dwarfs' colours. This allows us to draw on a complete and well defined sample of 102 ultracool dwarfs to investigate the luminosity function and space density of field dwarfs. Conclusions. We found the density of late L5 to T0 dwarfs to be 2.0pm0.8 x 10-3 objects pc-3, the density of T0.5 to T5.5 dwarfs to be 1.4pm0.3 x 10-3 objects pc-3, and the density of T6 to T8 dwarfs to be 5.3pm3.1 x 10-3 objects pc-3 . We found that these results agree better with a flat substellar mass function. Three latest dwarfs at the boundary between T and Y dwarfs give the high density 8.3p9.0m5.1 x 10-3 objects pc-3. Although the uncertainties are very large this suggests that many brown dwarfs should be found in this late spectral type range, as expected from the cooling of brown dwarfs, whatever their mass, down to very low temperature.

Extending the Canada-France brown dwarfs survey to the near-infrared: first ultracool brown dwarfs from CFBDSIR

We present the first results of the ongoing Canada-France Brown Dwarfs Survey-InfraRed, hereafter CFBDSIR, a Near InfraRed extension to the optical wide-field survey CFBDS. Our final objectives are to constrain ultracool atmosphere physics by finding a statistically significant sample of objects cooler than 650K and to explore the ultracool brown dwarf mass function building on a well defined sample of such objects. Candidates are identified in CFHT/WIRCam J and CFHT/MegaCam z' images using optimised psf-fitting, and we follow them up with pointed near infrared imaging with SOFI at NTT. We finally obtain low resolution spectroscopy of the coolest candidates to characterise their atmospheric physics. We have so far analysed and followed up all candidates on the first 66 square degrees of the 335 square degrees survey. We identified 55 T-dwarfs candidates with z'-J > 3:5 and have confirmed six of them as T-dwarfs, including 3 that are strong later-than-T8 candidates, based on their far-red and NIR colours. We also present here the NIR spectra of one of these ultracool dwarfs, CFBDSIR1458+1013 which confirms it as one of the coolest brown dwarf known, possibly in the 550-600K temperature range. From the completed survey we expect to discover 10 to 15 dwarfs later than T8, more than doubling the known number of such objects. This will enable detailed studies of their extreme atmospheric properties and provide a stronger statistical base for studies of their luminosity function.

Identifying nearby field T dwarfs in the UKIDSS Galactic Clusters Survey

We present the discovery of two new late-T dwarfs identified in the UKIRT Infrared Deep Sky Survey (UKIDSS) Galactic Clusters Survey (GCS) Data Release 2 (DR2). These T dwarfs are nearby old T dwarfs along the line of sight to star-forming regions and open clusters targeted by the UKIDSS GCS. They are found towards the Alpha Per cluster and Orion complex, respectively, from a search in 54 square degrees surveyed in five filters. Photometric candidates were picked up in two-colour diagrams, in a very similar manner to candidates extracted from the UKIDSS Large Area Survey (LAS) but taking advantage of the Z filter employed by the GCS. Both candidates exhibit near-infrared J-band spectra with strong methane and water absorption bands characteristic of late-T dwarfs. We derive spectral types of T6.5+/-0.5 and T7+/-1 and estimate photometric distances less than 50 pc for UGCS J030013.86+490142.5 and UGCS J053022.52-052447.4, respectively. The space density of T dwarfs found in the GCS seems consistent with discoveries in the larger areal coverage of the UKIDSS Large Area Survey, indicating one T dwarf in 6-11 square degrees. The final area surveyed by the GCS, 1000 square degrees in five passbands, will allow expansion of the LAS search area by 25%, increase the probability of finding ultracool brown dwarfs, and provide optimal estimates of contamination by old field brown dwarfs in deep surveys to identify such objects in open clusters and star-forming regions.

Finding ultracool brown dwarfs with MegaCam on CFHT: method and first results

Aims. We present the first results of a wide field survey for cool brown dwarfs with the MegaCam camera on the CFHT telescope, the Canada-France Brown Dwarf Survey, hereafter CFBDS. Our objectives are to find ultracool brown dwarfs and to constrain the field-brown dwarf mass function thanks to a larger sample of L and T dwarfs. Methods. We identify candidates in CFHT/MegaCam iand zimages using optimised psf-fitting within Source Extractor, and follow them up with pointed near-infrared imaging on several telescopes. Results. We have so far analysed over 350 square degrees and found 770 brown dwarf candidates brighter than z � = 22.5. We cur- rently have J-band photometry for 220 of these candidates, which confirms 37% as potential L or T dwarfs. Some are among the red- dest and farthest brown dwarfs currently known, including an independent identification of the recently published ULAS J003402.77- 005206.7 and the discovery of a second brown dwarf later than T8, CFBDS J005910.83-011401.3. Infrared spectra of three T dwarf candidates confirm their nature, and validate the selection process. Conclusions. The completed survey will discover ∼100 T dwarfs and ∼500 L dwarfs or M dwarfs later than M8, approximately doubling the number of currently known brown dwarfs. The resulting sample will have a very well-defined selection function, and will therefore produce a very clean luminosity function.