Subscribe to the gold package and get unlimited access to Shamra Academy
Register a new userGPI Spectroscopy of the Mass, Age, and Metallicity Benchmark Brown Dwarf HD 4747 B
137
0
0.0
(
0
)
Ask ChatGPT about the research
No Arabic abstract
The physical properties of brown dwarf companions found to orbit nearby, solar-type stars can be benchmarked against independent measures of their mass, age, chemical composition, and other parameters, offering insights into the evolution of substellar objects. The TRENDS high-contrast imaging survey has recently discovered a (mass/age/metallicity) benchmark brown dwarf orbiting the nearby (d=18.69+/-0.19 pc), G8V/K0V star HD 4747. We have acquired follow-up spectroscopic measurements of HD 4747 B using the Gemini Planet Imager to study its spectral type, effective temperature, surface gravity, and cloud properties. Observations obtained in the H-band and K1-band recover the companion and reveal that it is near the L/T transition (T1+/-2). Fitting atmospheric models to the companion spectrum, we find strong evidence for the presence of clouds. However, spectral models cannot satisfactorily fit the complete data set: while the shape of the spectrum can be well-matched in individual filters, a joint fit across the full passband results in discrepancies that are a consequence of the inherent color of the brown dwarf. We also find a $2sigma$ tension in the companion mass, age, and surface gravity when comparing to evolutionary models. These results highlight the importance of using benchmark objects to study secondary effects such as metallicity, non-equilibrium chemistry, cloud parameters, electron conduction, non-adiabatic cooling, and other subtleties affecting emergent spectra. As a new L/T transition benchmark, HD 4747 B warrants further investigation into the modeling of cloud physics using higher resolution spectroscopy across a broader range of wavelengths, polarimetric observations, and continued Doppler radial velocity and astrometric monitoring.
rate research
Read More
The mass and age of substellar objects are degenerate parameters leaving the evolutionary state of brown dwarfs ambiguous without additional information. Theoretical models are normally used to help distinguish between old, massive brown dwarfs and young, low mass brown dwarfs but these models have yet to be properly calibrated. We have carried out an infrared high-contrast imaging program with the goal of detecting substellar objects as companions to nearby stars to help break degeneracies in inferred physical properties such as mass, age, and composition. Rather than using imaging observations alone, our targets are pre-selected based on the existence of dynamical accelerations informed from years of stellar radial velocity (RV) measurements. In this paper, we present the discovery of a rare benchmark brown dwarf orbiting the nearby ($d=18.69pm0.19$ pc), solar-type (G9V) star HD 4747 ([Fe/H]=$-0.22pm0.04$) with a projected separation of only $rho=11.3pm0.2$ AU ($theta approx$ 0.6). Precise Doppler measurements taken over 18 years reveal the companions orbit and allow us to place strong constraints on its mass using dynamics ($m sin(i) = 55.3pm1.9M_J$). Relative photometry ($Delta K_s=9.05pm0.14$, $M_{K_s}=13.00pm0.14$, $K_s - L = 1.34pm0.46$) indicates that HD 4747 B is most-likely a late-type L-dwarf and, if near the L/T transition, an intriguing source for studying cloud physics, variability, and polarization. We estimate a model-dependent mass of $m=72^{+3}_{-13}M_J$ for an age of $3.3^{+2.3}_{-1.9}$ Gyr based on gyrochronology. Combining astrometric measurements with RV data, we calculate the companion dynamical mass ($m=60.2pm3.3M_J$) and orbit ($e=0.740pm0.002$) directly. As a new mass, age, and metallicity benchmark, HD 4747 B will serve as a laboratory for precision astrophysics to test theoretical models that describe the emergent radiation of brown dwarfs.
Constraining substellar evolutionary models (SSEMs) is particularly difficult due to a degeneracy between the mass, age, and luminosity of a brown dwarf. In cases where a brown dwarf is found as a directly imaged companion to a star, as in HD 4747 and HD 19467, the mass, age, and luminosity of the brown dwarf are determined independently, making them ideal objects to use to benchmark SSEMs. Using the Center for High Angular Resolution Astronomy Array, we measured the angular diameters and calculated the radii of the host stars HD 4747 A and HD 19467 A. After fitting their parameters to the Dartmouth Stellar Evolution Database, MESA Isochrones and Stellar Tracks, and Yonsei-Yale isochronal models, we adopt age estimates of $10.74^{+6.75}_{-6.87}$ Gyr for HD 4747 A and $10.06^{+1.16}_{-0.82}$ Gyr for HD 19467 A. Assuming the brown dwarf companions HD 4747 B and HD 19467 B have the same ages as their host stars, we show that many of the SSEMs under-predict bolometric luminosities by $sim$ 0.75 dex for HD 4747 B and $sim 0.5$ dex for HD 19467 B. The discrepancies in luminosity correspond to over-predictions of the masses by $sim$ 12% for HD 4747 B and $sim$ 30% for HD 19467 B. We also show that SSEMs that take into account the effect of clouds reduce the under-prediction of luminosity to $sim 0.6$ dex and the over-prediction of mass to $sim 8%$ for HD 4747 B, an L/T transition object that is cool enough to begin forming clouds. One possible explanation for the remaining discrepancies is missing physics in the models, such as the inclusion of metallicity effects.
We present high signal-to-noise ratio, precise $YJH$ photometry and $Y$ band (gpiwave~$mu$m) spectroscopy of HD 1160 B, a young substellar companion discovered from the Gemini NICI Planet Finding Campaign, using the Subaru Coronagraphic Extreme Adaptive Optics instrument and the Gemini Planet Imager. HD 1160 B has typical mid-M dwarf-like infrared colors and a spectral type of M5.5$^{+1.0}_{-0.5}$, where the blue edge of our $Y$ band spectrum rules out earlier spectral types. Atmospheric modeling suggests HD 1160 B having an effective temperature of 3000--3100 $K$, a surface gravity of log $g$ = 4--4.5, a radius of~bestfitradius~$R_{rm J}$, and a luminosity of log $L$/$L_{odot} = -2.76 pm 0.05$. Neither the primarys Hertzspring-Russell diagram position nor atmospheric modeling of HD 1160 B show evidence for a sub-solar metallicity. The interpretation of the HD 1160 B depends on which stellar system components are used to estimate an age. Considering HD 1160 A, B and C jointly, we derive an age of 80--125 Myr, implying that HD 1160 B straddles the hydrogen-burning limit (70--90 $M_{rm J}$). If we consider HD 1160 A alone, younger ages (20--125 Myr) and a brown dwarf-like mass (35--90 $M_{rm J}$) are possible. Interferometric measurements of the primary, a precise GAIA parallax, and moderate resolution spectroscopy can better constrain the systems age and how HD 1160 B fits within the context of (sub)stellar evolution.
HD 19467 B is presently the only directly imaged T dwarf companion known to induce a measurable Doppler acceleration around a solar type star. We present spectroscopy measurements of this important benchmark object taken with the Project 1640 integral field unit at Palomar Observatory. Our high-contrast R~30 observations obtained simultaneously across the $JH$ bands confirm the cold nature of the companion as reported from the discovery article and determine its spectral type for the first time. Fitting the measured spectral energy distribution to SpeX/IRTF T dwarf standards and synthetic spectra from BT-Settl atmospheric models, we find that HD 19467 B is a T5.5+/-1 dwarf with effective temperature Teff=$978^{+20}_{-43}$ K. Our observations reveal significant methane absorption affirming its substellar nature. HD 19467 B shows promise to become the first T dwarf that simultaneously reveals its mass, age, and metallicity independent from the spectrum of light that it emits.
The determination of the fundamental properties (mass, separation, age, gravity and atmospheric properties) of brown dwarf companions allows us to infer crucial informations on their formation and evolution mechanisms. Spectroscopy of substellar companions is available to date only for a limited number of objects (and mostly at very low resolution, R<50) because of technical limitations, i.e., contrast and angular resolution. We present medium resolution (R=350), coronagraphic long-slit spectroscopic observations with SPHERE of two substellar companions, HD 1160 B and HD 19467 B. We found that HD 1160 B has a peculiar spectrum that cannot be fitted by spectra in current spectral libraries. A good fit is possible only considering separately the Y+J and the H spectral band. The spectral type is between M5 and M7. We also estimated a T_eff of 2800-2900 K and a log(g) of 3.5-4.0 dex. The low surface gravity seems to favour young age (10-20 Myr) and low mass (~20 M Jup ) for this object. HD 19467 B is instead a fully evolved object with a T_eff of ~1000 K and log g of ~5.0 dex. Its spectral type is T6+/-1.
Log in to be able to interact and post comments
comments
Fetching comments
Sign in to be able to follow your search criteria
