The Astrophysical Journal

The Astrophysical Journal

Quick search Find article
Quick search
Find article
The Astrophysical Journal Volume 681 Number 1 Create an alert RSS this journal

Adam J. Burgasser et al. 2008 ApJ 681 579 doi:10.1086/588379

Subtle Signatures of Multiplicity in Late-type Dwarf Spectra: The Unresolved M8.5 + T5 Binary 2MASS J03202839–0446358*

FREE ISSUE

Adam J. Burgasser1,2, Michael C. Liu3,4, Michael J. Ireland5, Kelle L. Cruz2,6,7 and Trent J. Dupuy3

Show affiliations

Tag this article Full text PDF (954 KB) HTML with Enhancements

Abstract References Cited By
Evidence is presented that 2MASS J03202839–0446358, a late-type dwarf with discrepant optical (M8:) and near-infrared (L1) spectral types, is an as-yet unresolved stellar/brown dwarf binary with late-type M dwarf and T dwarf components. This conclusion is based on low-resolution, near-infrared spectroscopy that reveals a subtle but distinctive absorption feature at 1.6 μ m . The feature, which is also present in the combined light spectrum of the M8.5 + T6 binary SCR 1845–6357, arises from the combination of FeH absorption from an M8.5 primary and pseudocontinuum flux from a T5 ± 1 secondary, as ascertained from binary spectral templates constructed from empirical data. The binary templates provide a far superior match to the overall near-infrared spectral energy distribution of 2MASS J0320–0446 than any single comparison spectra. Laser guide star adaptive optics (LGS AO) imaging observations, including the first application of LGS AO aperture mask interferometry, fail to resolve a faint companion, restricting the projected separation of the system to less than 8.3 AU at the time of observation. 2MASS J0320–0446 is the second very low mass binary to be identified from unresolved, low-resolution, near-infrared spectroscopy, a technique that complements traditional high-resolution imaging and spectroscopic methods.

Footnote
*  Some of the data presented herein were obtained at the W. M. Keck Observatory, which is operated as a scientific partnership among the California Institute of Technology, the University of California, and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. The Observatory was made possible by the generous financial support of the W. M. Keck Foundation.
Subject headings

binaries: general; stars: fundamental parameters; stars: individual; stars: low-mass, brown dwarfs


Dates

Issue 1 (2008 July 1)

Received 2008 January 4, accepted for publication 2008 March 3



Your last 10 viewed
  1. Subtle Signatures of Multiplicity in Late-type Dwarf Spectra: The Unresolved M8.5 + T5 Binary 2MASS J03202839–0446358

    Adam J. Burgasser et al. 2008 ApJ 681 579

  2. Optical and Near-Infrared Spectroscopy of the L Subdwarf SDSS J125637.13-022452.4

    Adam J. Burgasser et al. 2009 ApJ 697 148

  3. 2MASS J06164006–6407194: The First Outer Halo L Subdwarf

    Michael C. Cushing et al. 2009 ApJ 696 986

  4. Filling the Bose sea: symmetric quantum Hall edge states and affine characters

    Eddy Ardonne et al 2005 J. Phys. A: Math. Gen. 38 617

  5. Emission rates with the boundary layer budget method supported by acoustic remote sensing

    S Emeis 2008 IOP Conf. Ser.: Earth Environ. Sci. 1 012055

  6. Long-term observations of the urban mixing-layer height with ceilometers

    S Emeis et al 2008 IOP Conf. Ser.: Earth Environ. Sci. 1 012027

  7. Ozone Depletion from Nearby Supernovae

    Neil Gehrels et al. 2003 ApJ 585 1169

  8. Lorentz-like covariant equations of non-relativistic fluids

    M de Montigny et al 2003 J. Phys. A: Math. Gen. 36 2009

  9. The theoretical values of the physical constants

    Arthur Eddington 1942 Proc. Phys. Soc. 54 491

  10. The hydrogen atom, a tool for metrology

    B Cagnac et al 1994 Rep. Prog. Phys. 57 853

Users also read

What's this?
This innovative new feature generates a list of articles 'also read' by other users based on them reading the original article. Article abstracts citations and references are all considered and weighted accordingly. We hope that this will help you find relevant papers for your research.

  1. A Unified Near-Infrared Spectral Classification Scheme for T Dwarfs
  2. The 2MASS Wide-Field T Dwarf Search. III. Seven New T Dwarfs and Other Cool Dwarf Discoveries
  3. SpeX Spectroscopy of Unresolved Very Low Mass Binaries. I. Identification of 17 Candidate Binaries Straddling the L Dwarf/T Dwarf Transition
More

Share

View by subject




Export








Please login to access our web services, or create an account if you don't yet have one.

You must have cookies enabled in your web browser to be able to login.

Username
Password

Forgotten your password? Get a new one here.