A Search for Binary L-dwarfs

Details A Search for Binary L-dwarfs A Search for Binary L-dwarfs

Jul 1999

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=1999hst..prop.8146r&link_type=abstract

HST Proposal ID #8146

Astronomy and Astrophysics

Astronomy

Hst Proposal Id #8146 Cool Stars

Scientific paper

We propose to use the unparalleled resolution of the WFPC2 Planetary Camera to search for close binaries amongst the sample of 37 low-temperature L dwarfs, identified primarily in the course of the DENIS and 2MASS near-infrared surveys. Our goals are twofold: first, statistical analysis to estimate the binary fraction amongst these very low mass objects; second, identification of individual binary systems suitable for long- term monitoring to determine astrometric orbits, and hence masses. Comparison with theoretical models indicates that the L-dwarfs in our sample have temperatures of ~ 1500 < T_eff < 2300K and luminosities of 12 < M_bol < 15, implying in most cases distances between 20 and 60 parsecs. Given those distances, and a binary fraction and semi-major axis distribution comparable with that amongst late-type M-dwarfs, our previous HST observations indicate that between 15 and 20 spatially. These HST observations will be supplemented by near-infrared ground-based radial-velocity measurements and deeper, but lower resolution, imaging.

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