Sign on

SAO/NASA ADS Astronomy Abstract Service

· Find Similar Abstracts (with default settings below)
· Electronic Refereed Journal Article (HTML)
· Full Refereed Journal Article (PDF/Postscript)
· arXiv e-print (arXiv:astro-ph/0503379)
· References in the article
· Citations to the Article (50) (Citation History)
· Refereed Citations to the Article
· SIMBAD Objects (31)
· Also-Read Articles (Reads History)
·
· Translate This Page
Title:
Multiplicity among Widely Separated Brown Dwarf Companions to Nearby Stars: Gliese 337CD
Authors:
Burgasser, Adam J.; Kirkpatrick, J. Davy; Lowrance, Patrick J.
Affiliation:
AA(Department of Astrophysics, Division of Physical Sciences, American Museum of Natural History, Central Park West at 79th Street, New York, NY 10024; .; Spitzer Fellow.), AB(Infrared Processing and Analysis Center, California Institute of Technology, Mail Stop 100-22, Pasadena, CA 91125; .), AC(Spitzer Science Center, California Institute of Technology, Mail Stop 220-6, Pasadena, CA 91125; .)
Publication:
The Astronomical Journal, Volume 129, Issue 6, pp. 2849-2855. (AJ Homepage)
Publication Date:
06/2005
Origin:
UCP
AJ Keywords:
Stars: Binaries: Visual, Stars: Individual: Alphanumeric: Gl 337CD, Stars: Low-Mass, Brown Dwarfs
DOI:
10.1086/430218
Bibliographic Code:
2005AJ....129.2849B

Abstract

We present Lick Natural Guide Star Adaptive Optics observations of the L8 brown dwarf Gl 337C, which is resolved for the first time into two closely separated (0.53"+/-0.03"), nearly equal magnitude components with a Ks flux ratio of 0.93+/-0.10. Companionship is inferred from the absence of a 3.6" offset source in Two Micron All Sky Survey or photographic plate images, implying that the observed secondary component is a comoving late-type dwarf. With a projected separation of 11 AU and nearly equal magnitude components, Gl 337CD has properties similar to those of other known companion and field substellar binaries. Its long orbital period (estimated to be ~140-180 yr) inhibits short-term astrometric mass measurements, but the Gl 337CD system is ideal for studying the L-T transition at a fixed age and metallicity. From a compilation of all known widely separated (>~100 AU) stellar-brown dwarf multiple systems, we find evidence that the binary fraction of brown dwarfs in these systems is notably higher than that of field brown dwarfs, 45+15-13% versus 18+7-4% for analogous samples. We speculate on possible reasons for this difference, including the possibility that dynamic (ejection) interactions that may form such wide pairs preferentially retain binary secondaries because of their greater combined mass and/or ability to absorb angular momentum.
Bibtex entry for this abstract   Preferred format for this abstract (see Preferences)
   

Find Similar Abstracts:

Use: Authors
Title
Keywords (in text query field)
Abstract Text
Return: Query Results Return    items starting with number
Query Form
Database: Astronomy
Physics
arXiv e-prints