Article

Spectroscopically confirmed brown dwarf members of Coma Berenices and the Hyades

S. L. Casewell1Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Leicester, University Road, Leicester, LE1 7RH, UKS. P. Littlefair2Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S3 7RH, UKM. R. Burleigh1Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Leicester, University Road, Leicester, LE1 7RH, UKM. Roy1Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Leicester, University Road, Leicester, LE1 7RH, UK

2014en

ABI

Abstract

We have obtained low- and medium-resolution spectra of nine brown dwarf candidate members of Coma Berenices and the Hyades using SpEX on the NASA InfraRed Telescope Facility and Long Slit Intermediate Resolution Infrared Spectrograph on the William Herschel Telescope. We conclude that seven of these objects are indeed late M or early L dwarfs, and that two are likely members of Coma Berenices and four of the Hyades. Two objects, cbd40 and Hy3, are suggested to be field L dwarfs, although there is also a possibility that Hy3 is an unresolved binary belonging to the cluster. These objects have masses between 71 and 53MJup, close to the hydrogen-burning boundary for these clusters; however, only an optical detection of lithium can confirm if they are truly substellar.

Identifiers

DOI: 10.1093/mnras/stu746

Citations and references

Cited by 20 references

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