The 0.8 to 14.5 μm spectral energy distributions of mid-L to mid-T dwarfs

D. C. Stephens; S. K. Leggett; Mark S. Marley; D. Saumon; Michael C. Cushing; T. R. Geballe; D. A. Golimowski; Xiaohui Fan; K. S. Noll

doi:10.1063/1.3099088

The 0.8 to 14.5 μm spectral energy distributions of mid-L to mid-T dwarfs

D. C. Stephens, S. K. Leggett, Mark S. Marley, D. Saumon, Michael C. Cushing, T. R. Geballe, D. A. Golimowski, Xiaohui Fan, K. S. Noll

Astronomy

Research output: Contribution to journal › Conference article › peer-review

1 Scopus citations

Abstract

We fit theoretical model atmospheres to the spectral energy distribution of 21 L and T dwarfs recently observed with the Spitzer Space Telescope to identify and isolate four key physical parameters used in the model characterization of their atmospheres. The wide range of wavelengths observed (∼0.6 to 14.5 μm) lets us constrain almost independently the four model parameters used to describe these photospheres: effective temperature (T _eff), grain sedimentation (f _sed), vertical gas transport efficiency (K _zz), and gravity. We find that the ratio of the mid-infrared to near-infrared flux is a good indicator of T _eff, while the slope in the near-infrared is strongly dependent on f _sed. The CH4 bands found at 2, 3 and 8 μm are sensitive to the timescale for vertical mixing, and gravity will influence the flux at 2 μm.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	172-177
Number of pages	6
Journal	AIP Conference Proceedings
Volume	1094
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1063/1.3099088
State	Published - 2009
Event	15th Cambridge Workshop on Cool Stars, Stellar Systems and the Sun - St. Andrews, United Kingdom Duration: Jul 21 2008 → Jul 25 2008

Keywords

Brown dwarfs
Fundamental parameters
Low-mass

ASJC Scopus subject areas

General Physics and Astronomy

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10.1063/1.3099088

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title = "The 0.8 to 14.5 μm spectral energy distributions of mid-L to mid-T dwarfs",

abstract = "We fit theoretical model atmospheres to the spectral energy distribution of 21 L and T dwarfs recently observed with the Spitzer Space Telescope to identify and isolate four key physical parameters used in the model characterization of their atmospheres. The wide range of wavelengths observed (∼0.6 to 14.5 μm) lets us constrain almost independently the four model parameters used to describe these photospheres: effective temperature (T eff), grain sedimentation (f sed), vertical gas transport efficiency (K zz), and gravity. We find that the ratio of the mid-infrared to near-infrared flux is a good indicator of T eff, while the slope in the near-infrared is strongly dependent on f sed. The CH4 bands found at 2, 3 and 8 μm are sensitive to the timescale for vertical mixing, and gravity will influence the flux at 2 μm.",

keywords = "Brown dwarfs, Fundamental parameters, Low-mass",

author = "Stephens, {D. C.} and Leggett, {S. K.} and Marley, {Mark S.} and D. Saumon and Cushing, {Michael C.} and Geballe, {T. R.} and Golimowski, {D. A.} and Xiaohui Fan and Noll, {K. S.}",

year = "2009",

doi = "10.1063/1.3099088",

language = "English (US)",

volume = "1094",

pages = "172--177",

journal = "AIP Conference Proceedings",

issn = "0094-243X",

publisher = "American Institute of Physics",

note = "15th Cambridge Workshop on Cool Stars, Stellar Systems and the Sun ; Conference date: 21-07-2008 Through 25-07-2008",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - The 0.8 to 14.5 μm spectral energy distributions of mid-L to mid-T dwarfs

AU - Stephens, D. C.

AU - Leggett, S. K.

AU - Marley, Mark S.

AU - Saumon, D.

AU - Cushing, Michael C.

AU - Geballe, T. R.

AU - Golimowski, D. A.

AU - Fan, Xiaohui

AU - Noll, K. S.

PY - 2009

Y1 - 2009

N2 - We fit theoretical model atmospheres to the spectral energy distribution of 21 L and T dwarfs recently observed with the Spitzer Space Telescope to identify and isolate four key physical parameters used in the model characterization of their atmospheres. The wide range of wavelengths observed (∼0.6 to 14.5 μm) lets us constrain almost independently the four model parameters used to describe these photospheres: effective temperature (T eff), grain sedimentation (f sed), vertical gas transport efficiency (K zz), and gravity. We find that the ratio of the mid-infrared to near-infrared flux is a good indicator of T eff, while the slope in the near-infrared is strongly dependent on f sed. The CH4 bands found at 2, 3 and 8 μm are sensitive to the timescale for vertical mixing, and gravity will influence the flux at 2 μm.

AB - We fit theoretical model atmospheres to the spectral energy distribution of 21 L and T dwarfs recently observed with the Spitzer Space Telescope to identify and isolate four key physical parameters used in the model characterization of their atmospheres. The wide range of wavelengths observed (∼0.6 to 14.5 μm) lets us constrain almost independently the four model parameters used to describe these photospheres: effective temperature (T eff), grain sedimentation (f sed), vertical gas transport efficiency (K zz), and gravity. We find that the ratio of the mid-infrared to near-infrared flux is a good indicator of T eff, while the slope in the near-infrared is strongly dependent on f sed. The CH4 bands found at 2, 3 and 8 μm are sensitive to the timescale for vertical mixing, and gravity will influence the flux at 2 μm.

KW - Brown dwarfs

KW - Fundamental parameters

KW - Low-mass

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=64849117865&partnerID=8YFLogxK

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=64849117865&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1063/1.3099088

DO - 10.1063/1.3099088

M3 - Conference article

AN - SCOPUS:64849117865

SN - 0094-243X

VL - 1094

SP - 172

EP - 177

JO - AIP Conference Proceedings

JF - AIP Conference Proceedings

T2 - 15th Cambridge Workshop on Cool Stars, Stellar Systems and the Sun

Y2 - 21 July 2008 through 25 July 2008

ER -

The 0.8 to 14.5 μm spectral energy distributions of mid-L to mid-T dwarfs

Abstract

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

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