Related papers: Testing Models with Brown Dwarf Binaries
We obtained near-infrared spectra of a sample of very low mass objects as a function of age in order to investigate the temperature and surface gravity sensitivity of several features in the J and K bands.
We compare eighteen binary systems with precisely determined radii and masses from 23 to 1.1 M_sol, and stellar evolution models produced with our newly revised code TYCHO. ``Overshooting'' and rotational mixing were suppressed in order to…
The majority of brown dwarfs show some level of photometric or spectro-photometric variability in different wavelength ranges. This variability allow us to trace the 3D atmospheric structures of variable brown dwarfs and directly-imaged…
We explore the potential of \emph{Gaia} for the field of benchmark ultracool/brown dwarf companions, and present the results of an initial search for metal-rich/metal-poor systems. A simulated population of resolved ultracool dwarf…
We have measured high-precision parallaxes for a large sample of candidate young (~10-100 Myr) and intermediate-age (~100-600 Myr) ultracool dwarfs, with spectral types ranging from M8 to T2.5. These objects are compelling benchmarks for…
2MASS J03202839-0446358AB is a recently identified, late-type M dwarf/T dwarf spectroscopic binary system for which both the radial velocity orbit for the primary and spectral types for both components have been determined. By combining…
White dwarfs (WDs) offer unrealized potential in solving two problems in astrophysics: stellar age accuracy and precision. WD cooling ages can be inferred from surface temperatures and radii, which can be constrained with precision by high…
The masses of compact objects like white dwarfs, neutron stars and black holes are fundamental to astrophysics, but very difficult to measure. We present the results of an analysis of subluminous B (sdB) stars in close binary systems with…
Analysis of initial observations from near-infrared sky surveys has shown that the resulting photometric catalogues, combined with far-red optical data, provide an extremely effective method of finding isolated, very low-temperature objects…
Using Keck laser guide star adaptive optics imaging, we have found that the T9 dwarf WISE J1217+1626 and T8 dwarf WISE J1711+3500 are exceptional binaries, with unusually wide separations (~0.8 arcsec, 8-15 AU), large near-IR flux ratios…
We present $Spitzer$ IRS 5--14 $\mu$m spectra and 16 $\mu$m and 22 $\mu$m photometry of the T2.5 companion to the $\sim$300 Myr-old G0V star HN Peg. We incorporate previous 0.8--5 $\mu$m observations to obtain the most comprehensive…
Understanding differences between sub-stellar spectral data and models has proven to be a major challenge, especially for self-consistent model grids that are necessary for a thorough investigation of brown dwarf atmospheres. Using the…
The mass and age of substellar objects are degenerate parameters leaving the evolutionary state of brown dwarfs ambiguous without additional information. Theoretical models are normally used to help distinguish between old, massive brown…
We present ugriz photometry and optical spectroscopy for 28 DB and DO white dwarfs with temperatures between 28,000K and 45,000K. About 10 of these are particularly well-observed; the remainder are candidates. These are the hottest DB stars…
Rotationally modulated photometric variability of ultracool dwarfs encodes key information about cloud structure and temperature contrasts. Large homogeneous optical datasets are crucial for linking atmospheric heterogeneity to fundamental…
The aim of the Degenerate Objects around Degenerate Objects (DODO) survey is to search for very low mass brown dwarfs and extrasolar planets in wide orbits around white dwarfs via direct imaging. The direct detection of such companions…
(abridged) We report the discovery of a very cool brown dwarf, ULAS J003402.77-005206.7 (ULAS J0034-00), identified in UKIDSS DR1. We provide optical, near-infrared, and mid-infrared photometry of the source, and two near-infrared spectra.…
White dwarf main-sequence (WDMS) binaries provide important laboratories for studying binary evolution and the formation of low-mass white dwarfs. In this work, we identify 654 reliable WDMS candidates with FGK-type companions from an…
White dwarfs with a F, G or K type companion represent the last common ancestor for a plethora of exotic systems throughout the galaxy, though to this point very few of them have been fully characterised in terms of orbital period and…
Brown dwarfs, being transitional objects between giant planets and low-mass stars, possess dense, cool interiors that provide optimal conditions to explore non-standard physics. Capture and accumulation of dark-matter particles can alter…