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Dynamical masses for the nearest brown dwarf binary: ε Indi Ba,b

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 October 2010

C. V. Cardoso ,
M. J. McCaughrean ,
R. R. King ,
L. M. Close ,
R.-D. Scholz ,
R. Lenzen ,
W. Brandner ,
N. Lodieu ,
H. Zinnecker  and
R. Koehler
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C. V. Cardoso
Affiliation:
University of Exeter
M. J. McCaughrean
Affiliation:
University of Exeter ESA
R. R. King
Affiliation:
University of Exeter
L. M. Close
Affiliation:
Steward Observatory
R.-D. Scholz
Affiliation:
Astrophysikalisches Institut Potsdam
R. Lenzen
Affiliation:
Max-Planck-Institut für Astronomie
W. Brandner
Affiliation:
Max-Planck-Institut für Astronomie
N. Lodieu
Affiliation:
Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias
H. Zinnecker
Affiliation:
Astrophysikalisches Institut Potsdam
R. Koehler
Affiliation:
Landessternwarte Zentrum für Astronomie Heidelberg
Q. M. Konopacky
Affiliation:
UCLA
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Binary brown dwarfs are important because their dynamical masses can be determined in a model-independent way. If a main sequence star is also involved, the age and metallicity for the system can be determined, making it possible to break the sub-stellar mass-age degeneracy. The most suitable benchmark system for intermediate age T dwarfs is ε Indi Ba,b, two T dwarfs (spectral types T1 and T6; McCaughrean et al. (2004)) orbiting a K4.5V star, ε Indi A, at a projected separation of 1460AU. At a distance of 3.6224pc (HIPPARCOS distance to ε Indi A; van Leeuwen (2007)), these are the closest brown dwarfs to the Earth, and thus both components are bright and the system is well-resolved. The system has been monitored astrometrically with NACO and FORS2 on the VLT since June 2004 and August 2005, respectively, in order to determine the system and individual masses independent of evolutionary models. We have obtained a preliminary system mass of 121±1MJup. We have also analysed optical/near-IR spectra (0.6-5.0μm at a resolution up to R~5000; King et al. (2009)) allowing us to determine bolometric luminosities, compare and calibrate evolutionary and atmospheric models of T dwarfs at an age of 4-8Gyr.

Type
Contributed Papers
Information
Proceedings of the International Astronomical Union , Volume 5 , Highlights H15: Highlights of Astronomy , November 2009 , pp. 761
Copyright
Copyright © International Astronomical Union 2010

References

McCaughrean, M. J., Close, L. M., Scholz, R.-D., Lenzen, R., et al. 2004, A&A 413, 1029Google Scholar
van Leeuwen, F. 2007, A&A 474, 653Google Scholar
King, R. R., McCaughrean, M. J., Homeier, D., Allard, F. et al. 2009, A&A in pressGoogle Scholar