@inproceedings{b6a64e398f624878a29cdbf9f7ee2b95,
title = "Mid-infrared followup of cold brown dwarfs: Diversity in age, mass and metallicity",
abstract = "We use Spitzer IRAC 3.6-8.0μm photometry of late-type T dwarfs to investigate various trends which can aid the planning and interpretation of infrared (IR) surveys for the coldest T or Y dwarfs. Brown dwarfs with effective temperature (Teff)<700K emit>50% of their flux at λ>3μm, and the ratio of the mid-IR to the near-IR flux becomes very sensitive to Teff. The color H - [4.5] is a good indicator of Teff with a weak dependence on metallicity ([m/H]) and gravity (g) while H -K and [4.5] - [5.8] are sensitive to [m/H] and g. Thus Teff and g can be constrained and mass and age can then be determined from evolutionary models. There are 12 dwarfs known with H - [4.5] > 3.0 and 500 TeffK 800, which we examine in detail. The ages of these dwarfs range from very young (0.1-1.0Gyr) to old (3-12Gyr). The mass range is possibly as low as 5 MJup to 70 MJup, and [m/H] also spans a large range of ∼ -0.3 to ∼ +0.3. The T8-T9 dwarfs found so far in the UKIRT IR Deep Sky Survey are unexpectedly young and low-mass. Extensions to the warm Spitzer and WISE space missions are needed to obtain mid-IR data for cold brown dwarfs, and to discover more of these rare objects.",
author = "Leggett, {S. K.} and B. Burningham and D. Saumon and Marley, {M. S.} and Warren, {S. J.} and Jones, {H. R.A.} and Pinfield, {D. J.} and Smart, {R. L.}",
note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} Owned by the authors, published by EDP Sciences, 2011.; International Conference Held in Shangai on Occasion of a Total Eclipse of the Sun ; Conference date: 20-07-2009 Through 24-07-2009",
year = "2011",
month = jul,
day = "18",
doi = "10.1051/epjconf/20111606007",
language = "English (US)",
series = "EPJ Web of Conferences",
publisher = "EDP Sciences",
editor = "Weipeng Lin and Martin, {Eduardo L.} and Martin, {Eduardo L.} and Jian Ge",
booktitle = "Research, Science and Technology of Brown Dwarfs and Exoplanets",
}