arXiv subjects

John E. Gizis

Publications and source records attributed to John E. Gizis.

85 records · Page 5Linked to original sources

arXiv2000

Discovery of a Bright Field Methane (T-type) Brown Dwarf by 2MASS

We report the discovery of a bright (J = 13.83$\pm$0.03) methane brown dwarf, or T dwarf, by the Two Micron All Sky Survey. This object, 2MASSI J0559191-140448, is the first brown dwarf identified by the newly commissioned CorMASS instrument mounted on the Palomar 60-inch Telescope. Near-infrared spectra from 0.9 - 2.35 $\micron$ show characteristic CH$_4$ bands at 1.1, 1.3, 1.6, and 2.2 $\micron$, which are significantly shallower than those seen in other T dwarfs discovered to date. Coupled with the detection of an FeH band at 0.9896 $\micron$ and two sets of K I doublets at J-band, we propose that 2MASS J0559-14 is a warm T dwarf, close to the transition between L and T spectral classes. The brightness of this object makes it a good candidate for detailed investigation over a broad wavelength regime and at higher resolution.

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arXiv2000

An Improved Red Spectrum of the Methane or T-dwarf SDSS 1624+0029: Role of the Alkali Metals

A Keck~II low resolution spectrum shortward of ome-micron is presented for SDSS 1624+0029, the first field methane or T dwarf discovered in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. Significant flux is detected down to the spectrum's short wavelength limit of 6200Å. The spectrum exhibits a broad absorption feature centered at 7700Å, which we interpret as the K~I 7665/7699 resonance doublet. The observed flux declines shortward of 7000Å, due most likely to the red wing of the Na~I doublet. Both Cs~I doublet lines are detected more strongly than in an earlier red spectrum. Neither Li~I absorption nor H$α$ emission are detected. An exploratory model fit to the spectrum suggests that the shape of the red spectrum can be primarily accounted for by the broad wings of the K~I and Na~I doublets. This behavior is consistent with the argument proffered by Burrows, Marley and Sharp that strong alkali absorption is principally responsible for depressing T dwarf spectra shortward of 1$μ$m. In particular, there seems no compelling reason at this time to introduce dust or an additional opacity source in the atmosphere of the SDSS object. The width of the K~I and strengths of the Cs~I lines also indicate that the Sloan object is warmer than Gl~229B.

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arXiv2000

Sixty-seven Additional L Dwarfs Discovered by the Two Micron All Sky Survey (2MASS)

We present JHKs photometry, far red spectra, and spectral classifications for an additional 67 L dwarfs discovered by the Two Micron All Sky Survey. One of the goals of this new search was to locate more examples of the latest L dwarfs. Of the 67 new discoveries, 17 have types of L6 or later. Analysis of these new discoveries shows that H-alpha emission has yet to be convincingly detected in any L dwarf later than type L4.5, indicating a decline or absence of chromospheric activity in the latest L dwarfs. Further analysis shows that 16 (and possibly 4 more) of the new L dwarfs are lithium brown dwarfs and that the average line strength for those L dwarfs showing lithium increases until roughly type L6.5 V then declines for later types. This disappearance may be the first sign of depletion of atomic lithium as it begins to form into lithium-bearing molecules. Another goal of the search was to locate nearer, brighter L dwarfs of all subtypes. Using absolute magnitudes for 17 L dwarf systems with trigonometric parallax measurements, we develop spectrophotometric relations to estimate distances to the other L dwarfs. Of the 67 new discoveries, 21 have photometric distances placing them within 25 parsecs of the Sun. A table of all known L and T dwarfs believed to lie within 25 parsecs - 53 in total - is also presented. Using the distance measurement of the coolest L dwarf known, we calculate that the gap in temperature between L8 and the warmest known T dwarfs is less than 350K and probably much less. If the transition region between the two classes spans a very small temperature interval, this would explain why no transition objects have yet been uncovered. This evidence, combined with model fits to low-resolution spectra of late-M and early-L dwarfs, indicates that L dwarfs span the range 1300K < Teff < 2000K.

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arXiv2000

Detection of H Alpha Emission in a Methane (T-Type) Brown Dwarf

We report the detection of H{$α$} emission in the T dwarf (methane brown dwarf) 2MASSW J1237392+652615 over three days using the Keck Low Resolution Imaging Spectrograph. The measured line flux, log(L$_{Hα}$/L$_{bol}$) = $-$4.3, is roughly consistent with early M dwarf activity levels and inconsistent with decreasing activity trends in late M and L dwarfs. Similar emission is not seen in two other T dwarfs. We speculate on several mechanisms that may be responsible for emission, including a strong magnetic field, continuous flaring, acoustic heat generation, and a close ($a$ $\sim$ 4 - 20 R$_{Jup}$) interacting binary, with the cooler component overflowing its Roche lobe. We suggest that the M9.5Ve PC 0025+0447 could be a warm analogue to 2MASS J1237+65, and may be powered by the latter mechanism.

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arXiv2000

HST Observations of M Subdwarfs

We present the results of an HST snapshot program to search for very-low-mass stellar companions to nearby M subdwarfs. None of our nine targetted metal-poor primaries have companions more massive than the hydrogen burning limit, implying that the halo binary fraction is equal to or less than the Galactic disk binary fraction below 0.3 M_sun. In addition, the more distant tertiary VB12, an sdM3.0 companion to an F subdwarf double, is also unresolved. We show that the relation between WFPC2 F555W and F850LP photometry and ground V,I photometry is consistent with theoretical expectations. We also report that two recently observed Hyades M dwarfs appear single.

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arXiv1999

A 2MASS Survey for Brown Dwarfs Towards the Hyades

We present results of a search for very low mass stars and brown dwarfs towards the central region of the Hyades cluster. Using Two Micron All Sky Survey (2MASS) near-infrared and Second Palomar Sky Survey (POSSII) optical photometry, we select candidates corresponding to spectral types M8 through L4 at the distance of the Hyades. Spectroscopic followup data indicate that none are cluster members. The lack of members in the mass range 0.08 < M < 0.06 M_solar is consistent with prior evidence that this 600 Myr old cluster is deficient in very low mass objects. Three of our objects are spectral type M8, with surface gravity sensitive features intermediate between dwarfs and giants. We interpret these objects as background brown dwarfs, perhaps associated with the Taurus star formation region.

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arXiv1998

The distance to NGC 6397 by M-subdwarf main-sequence fitting

Recent years have seen a substantial improvement both in photometry of low luminosity stars in globular clusters and in modelling the stellar atmospheres of late-type dwarfs. We build on these observational and theoretical advances in undertaking the first determination of the distance to a globular cluster by main-sequence fitting using stars on the lower main sequence. The calibrating stars are extreme M subdwarfs, as classified by Gizis (1997), with parallaxes measured to a precision of better than 10%. Matching against King et al's (1998) deep (V, (V-I)) photometry of NGC 6397, and adopting E_{B-V}=0.18 mag, we derive a true distance modulus of 12.13 +- 0.15 mag for the cluster. This compares with (m-M)_0=12.24 +- 0.1 derived through conventional main-sequence fitting in the (V, (B-V)) plane. Allowing for intrinsic differences due to chemical composition, we derive a relative distance modulus of delta (m-M)_0=2.58 mag between NGC 6397 and the fiducial metal-poor cluster M92. We extend this calibration to other metal-poor clusters, and examine the resulting RR Lyrae (M_V, [Fe/H]) relation.

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arXiv1998

Forever Young: High Chromospheric Activity in M subdwarfs

We present spectroscopic observations of two halo M subdwarfs which have H alpha emission lines. We show that in both cases close companions are the most likely cause of the chromospheric activity in these old, metal-poor stars. We argue that Gl 781 A's unseen companion is most likely a cool helium white dwarf. Gl 455 is a near-equal-mass M subdwarf (sdM) system. Gl 781 A is rapidly rotating with v sin i = 30 km/s. The properties of the chromospheres and X-ray coronae of these systems are compared to M dwarfs with emission (dMe). The X-ray hardness ratios and optical chromospheric lines emission ratios are consistent with those seen in dMe stars. Comparison to active near-solar metallicity stars indicates that despite their low metallicity ([m/H] = -1/2), the sdMe stars are roughly as active in both X-rays and chromospheric emission. Measured by L_X/L_bol, the activity level of Gl 781 A is no more than a factor of 2.5 subluminous with respect to near-solar metallicity stars.

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arXiv1997

The Lower Main Sequence and the Orbital Period Distribution of Cataclysmic Variable Stars

The color-magnitude diagram of the lower main sequence, as measured from a volume-limited sample of nearby stars, shows an abrupt downward jump between Mv = 12 and 13. This jump indicates that the observed mass-radius relationship steepens between 0.3 and 0.2 solar masses, but theoretical models show no such effect. It is difficult to isolate the source of this disagreement: the observational mass-radius relationship relies upon transformations that may not be sufficiently accurate, while the theoretical relationship relies upon stellar models that may not be sufficiently complete, particularly in their treatment of the complex physics governing the interior equation-of-state. If the features in the observationally derived mass-radius relationship are real, their existence provides a natural explanation for the well-known gap in the orbital period distribution of cataclysmic variables. This explanation relies only upon the observed mass-radius relationship of low-mass stars, and does not require ad hoc changes in magnetic braking or in the structure of cataclysmic variable secondaries. If correct, it will allow broader application of cataclysmic variable observations to problems of basic stellar physics.

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arXiv1997

Low-mass Binaries in the Hyades - A scarcity of brown dwarfs

We have obtained HST Planetary Camera observations of a total of fifty-three low-mass (M < 0.3 M_solar) members of the Hyades cluster. Nine of these stars are resolved as binaries, with separations between 0.1 and 3.1 arcseconds, while a further three are probably equal-mass systems at smaller separations. Allowing for observational selection effects, this corresponds to an observed binary fraction of 11.3 plus or minus 4.6% for systems with separations in the range 14 to 825 a.u., consistent with observations of solar neighbourhood M-dwarfs. The mass-ratio distribution is only consistent marginally with the secondary stars being drawn from a Psi(M) proportioal to M^{-1} mass function, with three equal-mass systems amongst the six binaries with observed separations in the regime where our observations extend below the hydrogen-burning limit. Considering the entire sample, the absence of any brown dwarf companions amongst our sample makes it unlikely that the mass function of stellar/brown dwarf companions rises as steeply as M^{-1}. If the Hyades has an age of 600 Myrs, our results are consistent only at the 2 sigma level with a flat (M^0) mass function.

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arXiv1997

M Subdwarf Secondaries: A Test of the Metallicity Scale

We present spectra of three M subdwarfs which are common proper motion companions to F or G subdwarfs of known metallicity. The assumption that the companions have the same composition allows us to test the Gizis (1997, AJ, 113, 806) M subdwarf classification system and its correspondence to metallicity. The results are in excellent agreement with the Gizis (1997) scale, thereby showing that the Allard & Hauschildt (1995, ApJ, 445, 433) Extended model atmospheres agree well in the 6200 -- 7400 Angstrom region for cool metal-poor stars. We also show that the results are consistent with the main sequences of globular clusters using the Reid (1997, AJ, 114, 161) distance scale.

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arXiv1997

Probing the LHS Catalog. I. New Nearby Stars and the Coolest Subdwarf

We present moderate resolution spectroscopy of 112 cool dwarf stars to supplement the observations we have already presented in the Palomar/MSU Nearby-Star Spectroscopic Survey. The sample consists of 72 suspected nearby stars added to the The Preliminary Third Catalog of Nearby Stars since 1991 as well as 40 faint red stars selected from the LHS catalog. LHS 1826 is more metal-poor and cooler than the coolest previously known extreme subdwarf, LHS 1742a. LHS 2195 is a very late M dwarf of type M8 V, probably at a distance of ten parsecs. LHS 1937 is an M7 V star at 20 parsecs. Three other previously unobserved LHS stars have estimated distances that place them within 25 parsecs.

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arXiv1996

M-Subdwarfs: Spectroscopic Classification and the Metallicity Scale

We present a spectroscopic classification system for M-dwarfs and M-subdwarfs based on quantitative measures of TiO and CaH features in the region 6200 - 7400 Angstroms. Our sample of cool stars covers the range from solar metallicity stars to the most extreme subdwarfs known. Using synthetic spectra computed by Allard and Hauschildt (1995), we derive metallicities for the stars. Stars are classified as dwarfs (M V), subdwarfs (sdM), or extreme subdwarfs (esdM). These classifications correspond to [m/H] ~ 0.0, -1.2, and -2.0 respectively. Our metallicity scale agrees with theoretical HR diagrams and HST globular cluster measurements. We discuss some nearby subdwarfs of particular interest in light of our metallicity scale.

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