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Title: AN H-BAND SPECTROSCOPIC METALLICITY CALIBRATION FOR M DWARFS

Abstract

We present an empirical near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopic method for estimating M dwarf metallicities, based on features in the H band, as well as an implementation of a similar published method in the K band. We obtained R {approx} 2000 NIR spectra of a sample of M dwarfs using the NASA IRTF-SpeX spectrograph, including 22 M dwarf metallicity calibration targets that have FGK companions with known metallicities. The H-band and K-band calibrations provide equivalent fits to the metallicities of these binaries, with an accuracy of {+-}0.12 dex. We derive the first empirically calibrated spectroscopic metallicity estimate for the giant planet-hosting M dwarf GJ 317, confirming its supersolar metallicity. Combining this result with observations of eight other M dwarf planet hosts, we find that M dwarfs with giant planets are preferentially metal-rich compared to those that host less massive planets. Our H-band calibration relies on strongly metallicity-dependent features in the H band, which will be useful in compositional studies using mid- to high-resolution NIR M dwarf spectra, such as those produced by multiplexed surveys like SDSS-III APOGEE. These results will also be immediately useful for ongoing spectroscopic surveys of M dwarfs.

Authors:
; ; ; ;
Publication Date:
OSTI Identifier:
22047980
Resource Type:
Journal Article
Journal Name:
Astrophysical Journal Letters
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 747; Journal Issue: 2; Other Information: Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); Journal ID: ISSN 2041-8205
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
79 ASTROPHYSICS, COSMOLOGY AND ASTRONOMY; ASTROPHYSICS; BINARY STARS; CALIBRATION; DWARF STARS; INFRARED SPECTRA; METALS; NEAR INFRARED RADIATION; PLANETS; RESOLUTION

Citation Formats

Terrien, Ryan C, Mahadevan, Suvrath, Bender, Chad F, Deshpande, Rohit, Ramsey, Lawrence W, and Bochanski, John J., E-mail: rct151@psu.edu. AN H-BAND SPECTROSCOPIC METALLICITY CALIBRATION FOR M DWARFS. United States: N. p., 2012. Web. doi:10.1088/2041-8205/747/2/L38.
Terrien, Ryan C, Mahadevan, Suvrath, Bender, Chad F, Deshpande, Rohit, Ramsey, Lawrence W, & Bochanski, John J., E-mail: rct151@psu.edu. AN H-BAND SPECTROSCOPIC METALLICITY CALIBRATION FOR M DWARFS. United States. https://doi.org/10.1088/2041-8205/747/2/L38
Terrien, Ryan C, Mahadevan, Suvrath, Bender, Chad F, Deshpande, Rohit, Ramsey, Lawrence W, and Bochanski, John J., E-mail: rct151@psu.edu. 2012. "AN H-BAND SPECTROSCOPIC METALLICITY CALIBRATION FOR M DWARFS". United States. https://doi.org/10.1088/2041-8205/747/2/L38.
@article{osti_22047980,
title = {AN H-BAND SPECTROSCOPIC METALLICITY CALIBRATION FOR M DWARFS},
author = {Terrien, Ryan C and Mahadevan, Suvrath and Bender, Chad F and Deshpande, Rohit and Ramsey, Lawrence W and Bochanski, John J., E-mail: rct151@psu.edu},
abstractNote = {We present an empirical near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopic method for estimating M dwarf metallicities, based on features in the H band, as well as an implementation of a similar published method in the K band. We obtained R {approx} 2000 NIR spectra of a sample of M dwarfs using the NASA IRTF-SpeX spectrograph, including 22 M dwarf metallicity calibration targets that have FGK companions with known metallicities. The H-band and K-band calibrations provide equivalent fits to the metallicities of these binaries, with an accuracy of {+-}0.12 dex. We derive the first empirically calibrated spectroscopic metallicity estimate for the giant planet-hosting M dwarf GJ 317, confirming its supersolar metallicity. Combining this result with observations of eight other M dwarf planet hosts, we find that M dwarfs with giant planets are preferentially metal-rich compared to those that host less massive planets. Our H-band calibration relies on strongly metallicity-dependent features in the H band, which will be useful in compositional studies using mid- to high-resolution NIR M dwarf spectra, such as those produced by multiplexed surveys like SDSS-III APOGEE. These results will also be immediately useful for ongoing spectroscopic surveys of M dwarfs.},
doi = {10.1088/2041-8205/747/2/L38},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/22047980}, journal = {Astrophysical Journal Letters},
issn = {2041-8205},
number = 2,
volume = 747,
place = {United States},
year = {Sat Mar 10 00:00:00 EST 2012},
month = {Sat Mar 10 00:00:00 EST 2012}
}