SPECTROSCOPY OF PUTATIVE BROWN DWARFS IN TAURUS

Journal Article · Sun Jun 20 04:00:00 EDT 2010 · Astrophysical Journal Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1088/2041-8205/716/2/L120· OSTI ID:21451089

Luhman, K L ^[1]

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1. Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802 (United States)

Quanz and coworkers have reported the discovery of the coolest known member of the Taurus star-forming complex (L2 {+-} 0.5), and Barrado and coworkers have identified a possible protostellar binary brown dwarf in the same region. We have performed infrared spectroscopy on the former and the brighter component of the latter to verify their substellar nature. The resulting spectra do not exhibit the strong steam absorption bands that are expected for cool objects, demonstrating that they are not young brown dwarfs. The optical magnitudes and colors for these sources are also indicative of background stars rather than members of Taurus. Although the fainter component of the candidate protostellar binary lacks spectroscopy, we conclude that it is a galaxy rather than a substellar member of Taurus based on its colors and the constraints on its proper motion.

• OSTI ID: 21451089
• Journal Information: Astrophysical Journal Letters, Journal Name: Astrophysical Journal Letters Journal Issue: 2 Vol. 716; ISSN 2041-8205
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS
ABSORPTION
ABSORPTION SPECTROSCOPY
DWARF STARS
GALAXIES
INFRARED SPECTRA
MOTION
PROPER MOTION
SORPTION
SPECTRA
SPECTROSCOPY
STARS