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A search for variability in brown dwarfs and L dwarfs

1999/06/28 by C. A. L. Bailer-Jones, C. A. L. Bailer‐Jones, Bailer-Jones, C. A. L. +2
Engineering · Physics and Astronomy · #Astro and Planetary Science #Astronomical Observations and Instrumentation #Astrophysics (astro-ph) #FOS: Physical sciences #Stellar, planetary, and galactic studies #astro-ph

paper · pdf · doi:10.48550/arxiv.astro-ph/9906439

A&A in press. 5 pages, 1 figure

arxiv created 1999/06/28 · openalex publication_date 1999/06/28 · arxiv updated 2009/12/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28

Abstract

We have undertaken a differential photometric I band search for variability in three Pleiades brown dwarfs and three very low mass field L dwarfs. Analysis of the resultant time series for the Pleiades brown dwarfs (Teide 1, Calar 3, Roque 11) gives no evidence for variability (above 99% confidence) greater than 0.05 mags in any of these objects on timescales between 25 minutes and 27 hours. Time series of two of the L dwarfs, 2MASSW J0913032+184150 and 2MASSW J1146345+223053, are also consistent with no intrinsic variability (no significant variability above 0.07 mags for 30 mins < t < 126 hours, and above 0.025 mags for 30 mins < t < 75 hours, for the two objects respectively). However, the L dwarf 2MASSW J1145572+231730 shows evidence for variability of amplitude 0.04 magnitudes with a tentative period of about 7 hours. It is therefore interesting that Kirkpatrick et al. (1999) report an Halpha emission line of 4.2AA equivalent width for this star: If our detection is confirmed as a rotation period, it would support the link between rotation and Halpha emission in very low mass stars.

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