arXiv subjects

H. R. A. Jones

Publications and source records attributed to H. R. A. Jones.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

arXiv2016

VVV High proper motion stars I. The catalogue of bright Ks < 13.5 stars

Knowledge of the stellar content near the Sun is important for a broad range of topics ranging from the search for planets to the study of Milky Way structure. The most powerful method for identifying potentially nearby stars is proper motion (PM) surveys. All old optical surveys avoid, or are at least substantially incomplete, near the Galactic plane. The depth and breadth of the "Vista Variables in Via Lactea" (VVV) near-IR survey significantly improves this situation. Taking advantage of the VVV survey database, we have measured PMs in the densest regions of the MW bulge and southern plane in order to complete the census of nearby objects. We have developed a custom PM pipeline based on VVV catalogues from the Cambridge Astronomy Survey Unit (CASU), by comparing the first epoch of JHKs with the multi-epoch Ks-bands acquired later. Taking advantage of the large time baseline between the 2MASS and the VVV observations, we also obtained 2MASS-VVV PMs. We present a near-IR proper motion catalogue for the whole area of the VVV survey, which includes 3003 moving stellar sources. All of these have been visually inspected and are real PM objects. Our catalogue is in very good agreement with the proper motion data supplied in IR catalogues outside the densest zone of the MW. The majority of the PM objects in our catalogue are nearby M-dwarfs, as expected. This new database allow us to identify 57 common proper motion binary candidates, among which are two new systems within ~30pc of the Sun.

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arXiv2016

A Goldilocks principle for modeling radial velocity noise

The doppler measurements of stars are diluted and distorted by stellar activity noise. Different choices of noise models and statistical methods have led to much controversy in the confirmation of exoplanet candidates obtained through analysing radial velocity data. To quantify the limitation of various models and methods, we compare different noise models and signal detection criteria for various simulated and real data sets in the Bayesian framework. According to our analyses, the white noise model tend to interpret noise as signal, leading to false positives. On the other hand, the red noise models are likely to interprete signal as noise, resulting in false negatives. We find that the Bayesian information criterion combined with a Bayes factor threshold of 150 can efficiently rule out false positives and confirm true detections. We further propose a Goldilocks principle aimed at modeling radial velocity noise to avoid too many false positives and too many false negatives. We propose that the noise model with RHK-dependent jitter is used in combination with the moving average model to detect planetary signals for M dwarfs. Our work may also shed light on the noise modeling for hotter stars, and provide a valid approach for finding similar principles in other disciplines.

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arXiv2016

The Anglo-Australian Planet Search XXIV: The Frequency of Jupiter Analogs

We present updated simulations of the detectability of Jupiter analogs by the 17-year Anglo-Australian Planet Search. The occurrence rate of Jupiter-like planets that have remained near their formation locations beyond the ice line is a critical datum necessary to constrain the details of planet formation. It is also vital in our quest to fully understand how common (or rare) planetary systems like our own are in the Galaxy. From a sample of 202 solar-type stars, and correcting for imperfect detectability on a star-by-star basis, we derive a frequency of $6.2^{+2.8}_{-1.6}$% for giant planets in orbits from 3-7 AU. When a consistent definition of "Jupiter analog" is used, our results are in agreement with those from other legacy radial velocity surveys.

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arXiv2016

A Method for Selecting M dwarfs with an Increased Likelihood of Unresolved Ultra-cool Companionship

Locating ultra-cool companions to M dwarfs is important for constraining low-mass formation models, the measurement of sub-stellar dynamical masses and radii, and for testing ultra-cool evolutionary models. We present an optimised method for identifying M dwarfs which may have unresolved ultra-cool companions. We construct a catalogue of 440,694 candidates, from WISE, 2MASS and SDSS, based on optical and near-infrared colours and reduced proper motion. With strict reddening, photometric and quality constraints we isolate a sub-sample of 36,898 M dwarfs and search for possible mid-infrared M dwarf + ultra-cool dwarf candidates by comparing M dwarfs which have similar optical/near-infrared colours (chosen for their sensitivity to effective temperature and metallicity). We present 1,082 M dwarf + ultra-cool dwarf candidates for follow-up. Using simulated ultra-cool dwarf companions to M dwarfs, we estimate that the occurrence of unresolved ultra-cool companions amongst our M dwarf + ultra-cool dwarf candidates should be at least four times the average for our full M dwarf catalogue. We discuss possible contamination and bias and predict yields of candidates based on our simulations.

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arXiv2015

Discovery of a brown dwarf companion to the A3V star β Circini

We report the discovery of an L dwarf companion to the A3V star β Circini. VVV J151721.49-585131.5, or β Cir B, was identified in a proper motion and parallax catalogue of the Vista Variables in the Vía Láctea survey as having near infrared luminosity and colour indicative of an early L dwarf, and a proper motion and parallax consistent with that of β Cir. The projected separation of $\sim$3.6' corresponds to $6656$ au, which is unusually wide. The most recent published estimate of the age of the primary combined with our own estimate based on newer isochrones yields an age of $370-500$ Myr. The system therefore serves as a useful benchmark at an age greater than that of the Pleiades brown dwarfs and most other young L dwarf benchmarks. We have obtained a medium resolution echelle spectrum of the companion which indicates a spectral type of L1.0$\pm$0.5 and lacks the typical signatures of low surface gravity seen in younger brown dwarfs. This suggests that signs of low surface gravity disappear from the spectra of early L dwarfs by an age of $\sim370-500$ Myr, as expected from theoretical isochrones. The mass of β Cir B is estimated from the BHAC15 isochrones as $0.056\pm0.007$ M$_{\odot}$.

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arXiv2015

Starspot distributions on fully convective M dwarfs: implications for radial velocity planet searches

Since M4.5 - M9 dwarfs exhibit equatorial rotation velocities of order 10 km/s on average, radial velocity surveys targeting this stellar population will likely need to find methods to effectively remove starspot jitter. We present the first high resolution Doppler images of the M4.5 dwarf, GJ 791.2A, and the M9 dwarf, LP 944-20. The time series spectra of both objects reveal numerous line profile distortions over the rotation period of each star which we interpret as starspots. The transient distortions are modelled with spot/photosphere contrast ratios that correspond to model atmosphere temperature differences of Tphot-Tspot = 200 and 300 K. GJ 791.2A is a fully convective star with vsini = 35.1 km/s. Although we find more starspot structure at high latitudes, we reconstruct spots at a range of phases and latitudes with a mean spot filling of ~3%. LP 944-20 is one of the brightest known late-M dwarfs, with spectral type M9V and vsini = 30.8 km/s. Its spectral time series exhibits two dominant transient line distortions that are reconstructed as high latitude spots, while a mean spot filling factor of only 1.5% is found. The occurrence of low-contrast spots at predominantly high latitudes, which we see in both targets here, is in general likely to be responsible for the low amplitude photometric variability seen in late-M dwarfs. For GJ 791.2A, the radial velocities induced by the starspot features yield an rms velocity variability of 138 m/s, which can be reduced by a factor of 1.9 using our reconstructed surface brightness distributions.

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arXiv2015

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 $\pm$ 100 K, \logg = 4.5 $\pm$ 0.5 for the A component and \Tef = 3200 $\pm$ 100 K, \logg = 5.0 $\pm$ 0.5, for the B component. We obtained abundances of [Mg/H]=$-$1.51$\pm$0.08, [Ca/H]=$-$1.39$\pm$0.03, [Ti/H]=$-$1.37$\pm$0.03 for alpha group elements and [CrH]=$-$1.88$\pm$0.07, [Mn/H]=$-$1.96$\pm$0.06, [Fe/H]=$-$1.92$\pm$0.02, [Ni/H]=$-$1.81$\pm$0.05 and [Ba/H]W=$-$1.87$\pm$0.11 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 $\sim$ 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 H$_2$O in the infrared relate to abundances of alpha-element group rather than to iron peak elements. For metal deficient M dwarfs with [Fe/H] < -1.0, this provides a ready explanation for apparently inconsistent "metallicities" derived using different methods.

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arXiv2015

Abundances in the atmosphere of the metal-rich planet-host star HD 77338

Abundances of Fe, Si, Ni, Ti, Na, Mg, Cu, Zn, Mn, Cr and Ca in the atmosphere of the K-dwarf HD 77338 are determined and discussed. HD 77338 hosts a hot Uranus-like planet and is currently the most metal-rich single star to host any planet. Determination of abundances was carried out in the framework of a self-consistent approach developed by Pavlenko et al. (2012). Abundances were computed iteratively by the program ABEL8, and the process converged after 4 iterations. We find that most elements follow the iron abundance, however some of the iron peak elements are found to be over-abundant in this star.

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arXiv2015

A large spectroscopic sample of L and T dwarfs from UKIDSS LAS: peculiar objects, binaries, and space density

We present the spectroscopic analysis of a large sample of late-M, L, and T dwarfs from UKIDSS. Using the YJHK photometry from ULAS and the red-optical photometry from SDSS we selected a sample of 262 brown dwarf candidates and we followed-up 196 of them using X-shooter on the VLT. The large wavelength coverage (0.30-2.48 $μ$m) and moderate resolution (R~5000-9000) of X-shooter allowed us to identify peculiar objects including 22 blue L dwarfs, 2 blue T dwarfs, and 2 low gravity M dwarfs. Using a spectral indices-based technique we identified 27 unresolved binary candidates, for which we determined the spectral type of the potential components via spectral deconvolution. The spectra allowed us to measure the equivalent width of the prominent absorption features and to compare them to atmospheric models. Cross-correlating the spectra with a radial velocity standard, we measured the radial velocity for our targets, and we determined the distribution of the sample, which is centred at -1.7$\pm$1.2 km s$^{-1}$ with a dispersion of 31.5 km s$^{-1}$. Using our results we estimated the space density of field brown dwarfs and compared it with the results of numerical simulations. Depending on the binary fraction, we found that there are (0.85$\pm$0.55) x 10$^{-3}$ to (1.00$\pm$0.64) x 10$^{-3}$ objects per cubic parsec in the L4-L6.5 range, (0.73$\pm$0.47) x 10$^{-3}$ to (0.85$\pm$0.55) x 10$^{-3}$ objects per cubic parsec in the L7-T0.5 range, and (0.74$\pm$0.48) x 10$^{-3}$ to (0.88$\pm$0.56) x 10$^{-3}$ objects per cubic parsec in the T1-T4.5 range. There seem to be an excess of objects in the L/T transition with respect to the late T dwarfs, a discrepancy that could be explained assuming a higher binary fraction than expected for the L/T transition, or that objects in the high-mass end and low-mass end of this regime form in different environments, i.e. following different IMFs.

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arXiv2015

Methane and Ammonia in the near-infrared spectra of late T dwarfs

Analysis of T dwarfs using model atmospheres has been hampered by the absence of reliable line lists for methane and ammonia. Newly computed high temperature line lists for both of these important molecules are now available, so it is timely to investigate the appearance of the various absorption features in T dwarfs in order to better understand their atmospheres and validate the new line lists. We present high quality R~5000 Gemini/NIFS 1.0-2.4 microns spectra of the T8 standard 2MASS 0415-0935 and the T9 standard UGPS 0722-0540. We use these spectra to identify numerous methane and ammonia features not previously seen and we discuss the implications for our understanding of T dwarf atmospheres. Among our results, we find that ammonia is the dominant opacity source between ~1.233-1.266 microns in UGPS 0722-0540, and we tentatively identify several absorption features in this wavelength range in the T9's spectrum which may be due entirely to ammonia opacity. Our results also suggest that water rather than methane is the dominant opacity source in the red half of the J-band of the T8 dwarf. Water appears to be the main absorber in this wavelength region in the T9 dwarf until ~1.31 microns, when methane starts to dominate.

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arXiv2015

49 new T dwarfs identified using methane imaging

We present the discovery of 49 new photometrically classified T dwarfs from the combination of large infrared and optical surveys combined with follow-up TNG photometry. We used multi-band infrared and optical photometry from the UKIRT and Sloan Digital Sky Surveys to identify possible brown dwarf candidates, which were then confirmed using methane filter photometry. We have defined a new photometric conversion between CH4s - CH4l colour and spectral type for T4 to T8 brown dwarfs based on a part of the sample that has been followed up using methane photometry and spectroscopy. Using methane differential photometry as a proxy for spectral type for T dwarfs has proved to be a very efficient technique. Of a subset of 45 methane selected brown dwarfs that were observed spectroscopically, 100% were confirmed as T dwarfs. Future deep imaging surveys will produce large samples of faint brown dwarf candidates, for which spectroscopy will not be feasible. When broad wavelength coverage is unavailable, methane imaging offers a means to efficiently classify candidates from such surveys using just a pair of near-infrared images.

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arXiv2015

Analysis of combined radial velocities and activity of BD+20 1790: evidence supporting the existence of a planetary companion

This paper presents the simultaneous Bayesian analysis of the radial velocity and activity indices for the K5Ve active star BD+20 1790, that was proposed to host a close-in massive planet by Hernán-Obispo et al. (2010). The Bayesian analysis supports the hypothesis of a planetary companion. We present a new orbital solution after removing the two main contributions to the stellar jitter, one that varies with the photometric period and another that varies with the synodic period of the star+planet system. We use a new method to determine these jitter components, considering them as a second and third signals in the system. A discussion on possible magnetic star-planet-interaction is included, based on the Bayesian analysis of the activity indices. We propose two possible sources for flare events of this star: one related to the geometry of the system and the relative movement of the star+planet, and a second one purely stochastic source that is related to the evolution of stellar active regions. Also, we observe for the first time the magnetic field of the star, from spectropolarimetric data.

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arXiv2014

Discovery of a new Y dwarf: WISE J030449.03-270508.3

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 WISE database. 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 disk membership, but it shows some spectral characteristics that suggest 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 Mo). This object may thus be extending the population parameter-space of the known Y0 dwarfs.

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arXiv2014

High Proper Motion Objects from the UKIDSS Galactic Plane Survey

The UKIDSS Galactic Plane Survey (GPS) began in 2005 as a 7 year effort to survey ~1800 square degrees of the northern Galactic plane in the J, H, and K passbands. The survey included a second epoch of K band data, with a baseline of 2 to 8 years, for the purpose of investigating variability and measuring proper motions. We have calculated proper motions for 167 Million sources in a 900 square degree area located at l > 60 degrees in order to search for new high proper motion objects. Visual inspection has verified 617 high proper motion sources (> 200 mas/yr) down to K=17, of which 153 are new discoveries. Among these we have a new spectroscopically confirmed T5 dwarf, an additional T dwarf with estimated type T6, 13 new L dwarf candidates, and two new common proper motion systems containing ultracool dwarf candidates. We provide improved proper motions for an additional 12 high proper motion stars that were independently discovered in the WISE dataset during the course of this investigation.

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arXiv2014

GJ 832c: A super-earth in the habitable zone

We report the detection of GJ 832c, a super-Earth orbiting near the inner edge of the habitable zone of GJ 832, an M dwarf previously known to host a Jupiter analog in a nearly-circular 9.4-year orbit. The combination of precise radial-velocity measurements from three telescopes reveals the presence of a planet with a period of 35.68+/-0.03 days and minimum mass (m sin i) of 5.4+/-1.0 Earth masses. GJ 832c moves on a low-eccentricity orbit (e=0.18+/-0.13) towards the inner edge of the habitable zone. However, given the large mass of the planet, it seems likely that it would possess a massive atmosphere, which may well render the planet inhospitable. Indeed, it is perhaps more likely that GJ 832c is a "super-Venus," featuring significant greenhouse forcing. With an outer giant planet and an interior, potentially rocky planet, the GJ 832 planetary system can be thought of as a miniature version of our own Solar system.

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arXiv2014

Spectroscopic signatures of youth in low-mass kinematic candidates of young moving groups

We present a study of age-related spectral signatures observed in 25 young low-mass objects that we have previously determined as possible kinematic members of five young moving groups: the Local Association (Pleiades moving group, age=20 - 150 Myr), the Ursa Major group (Sirius supercluster, age=300 Myr), the Hyades supercluster (age=600 Myr), IC 2391 supercluster (age=35--55 Myr) and the Castor moving group (age=200 Myr). In this paper we characterize the spectral properties of observed high or low resolution spectra of our kinematic members by fitting theoretical spectral distributions. We study signatures of youth, such as lithium {\sc i} 6708 Å, H$α$ emission and other age-sensitive spectroscopic signatures in order to confirm the kinematic memberships through age constraints. We find that 21 ($84\%$) targets show spectroscopic signatures of youth in agreement with the age ranges of the moving group to which membership is implied. For two further objects, age-related constraints remain difficult to determine from our analysis. In addition, we confirm two moving group kinematic candidates as brown dwarfs.

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arXiv2014

Precision radial velocities of 15 M5 - M9 dwarfs

We present radial velocity measurements of a sample of M5V-M9V stars from our Red-Optical Planet Survey, ROPS, operating at 0.65-1.025 micron. Radial velocities for 15 stars, with r.m.s. precision down to 2.5 m/s over a week long time scale are achieved using Thorium-Argon reference spectra. We are sensitive to planets with m_psin(i) >= 1.5 MEarth (3 MEarth at 2-sigma) in the classical habitable zone and our observations currently rule out planets with m_psin(i) > 0.5 MJup at 0.03 AU for all our targets. A total of 9 of the 15 targets exhibit r.m.s. < 16 m/s, which enables us to rule out the presence of planets with m_psin(i) > 10 MEarth in 0.03 AU orbits. Since the mean rotation velocity is of order 8 km/s for an M6V star and 15 km/s by M9V, we avoid observing only slow rotators that would introduce a bias towards low axial inclination i << 90 deg systems, which are unfavourable for planet detection. Our targets with the highest vsini values exhibit radial velocities significantly above the photon-noise limited precision, even after accounting for vsini. We therefore monitored stellar activity via chromospheric emission from the Halpha and Ca II infrared triplet lines. A clear trend of log_10(Halpha/Lbol) with radial velocity r.m.s. is seen, implying that significant starspot activity is responsible for the observed radial velocity precision floor. The implication that most late M dwarfs are significantly spotted, and hence exhibit time varying line distortions, indicates that observations to detect orbiting planets need strategies to reliably mitigate against the effects of activity induced radial velocity variations.

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arXiv2014

The discovery of a T6.5 subdwarf

We report the discovery of ULAS J131610.28+075553.0, a sdT6.5 dwarf in the UKIDSS Large Area Survey 2 epoch proper motion catalogue. This object displays significant spectral peculiarity, with the largest yet seen deviations from T6 and T7 templates in the Y and K bands for this subtype. Its large, ~1 arcsec/yr, proper motion suggests a large tangential velocity of Vtan = 240 - 340km/s, if we assume its MJ lies within the typical range for T6.5 dwarfs. This makes it a candidate for membership of the Galactic halo population. However, other metal poor T dwarfs exhibit significant under luminosity both in specific bands and bolometrically. As a result, it is likely that its velocity is somewhat smaller, and we conclude it is a likely thick disc or halo member. This object represents the only T dwarf earlier than T8 to be classified as a subdwarf, and is a significant addition to the currently small number of known unambiguously substellar subdwarfs.

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