A Probable Close Brown Dwarf Companion To GJ 1046 (M 2.5V)

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dc.contributor.utaustinauthorEndl, M.en_US
dc.creatorKurster, M.en_US
dc.creatorEndl, M.en_US
dc.creatorReffert, S.en_US
dc.date.accessioned2016-04-22T19:45:22Z
dc.date.available2016-04-22T19:45:22Z
dc.date.issued2008-06en
dc.description.abstractContext. Brown dwarf companions to stars at separations of a few AU or less are rare objects, and none have been found so far around early-type M dwarfs (M 0V-M5V). With GJ 1046 (M 2.5V), a strong candidate for such a system with a separation of 0.42 AU is presented. Aims. We aim at constraining the mass of the companion in order to decide whether it is a brown dwarf or a low-mass star. Methods. We employed precision RV measurements to determine the orbital parameters and the minimum companion mass. We then derived an upper limit to the companion mass from the lack of disturbances of the RV measurements by a secondary spectrum. An even tighter upper limit is subsequently established by combining the RV-derived orbital parameters with the recent new version of the Hipparcos Intermediate Astrometric Data. Results. For the mass of the companion, we derive m >= 26.9 M-Jup from the RV data. Based on the RV data alone, the probability that the companion exceeds the stellar mass threshold is just 6.2%. The absence of effects from the secondary spectrum lets us constrain the companion mass to m <= 229 M-Jup. The combination of RV and Hipparcos data yields a 3 sigma upper mass limit to the companion mass of 112 M-Jup with a formal optimum value at m = 47.2 M-Jup. From the combination of RV and astrometric data, the chance probability that the companion is a star is 2.9%. Conclusions. We have found a low-mass, close companion to an early-type M dwarf. While the most likely interpretation of this object is that it is a brown dwarf, a low-mass stellar companion is not fully excluded.en_US
dc.description.departmentAstronomyen_US
dc.identifierdoi:10.15781/T2NJ6R
dc.identifier.citationKürster, M., M. Endl, and S. Reffert. >A probable close brown dwarf companion to GJ 1046 (M 2.5 V).> Astronomy & Astrophysics, Vol. 483, No. 3 (Jun., 2008): pp. 869-874.en_US
dc.identifier.doi10.1051/0004-6361:200809419en_US
dc.identifier.issn0004-6361en_US
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/2152/34388
dc.language.isoEnglishen_US
dc.relation.ispartofserialAstronomy & Astrophysicsen_US
dc.rightsAdministrative deposit of works to Texas ScholarWorks: This works author(s) is or was a University faculty member, student or staff member; this article is already available through open access or the publisher allows a PDF version of the article to be freely posted online. The library makes the deposit as a matter of fair use (for scholarly, educational, and research purposes), and to preserve the work and further secure public access to the works of the University.en_US
dc.subjectstars : low-mass, brown dwarfsen_US
dc.subjectstars : binaries : spectroscopicen_US
dc.subjectstarsen_US
dc.subject: individual : gj 1046en_US
dc.subjectastrometryen_US
dc.subjectsub-stellar objectsen_US
dc.subjectsubstellar companionsen_US
dc.subjectastrometric orbitsen_US
dc.subjectmassen_US
dc.subjectstarsen_US
dc.subjectcandidateen_US
dc.subjectdeserten_US
dc.subjectdiscoveryen_US
dc.subjectsearchen_US
dc.subjectastronomy & astrophysicsen_US
dc.titleA Probable Close Brown Dwarf Companion To GJ 1046 (M 2.5V)en_US
dc.typeArticleen_US

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