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Day-Jones, A. C. "Searching for brown dwarf companions." Thesis, University of Hertfordshire, 2009. http://hdl.handle.net/2299/3475.
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In this thesis I present the search for ultracool dwarf companions to main sequence stars, subgiants and white dwarfs. The ultracool dwarfs identified here are benchmark objects, with known ages and distances. The online data archives, the two micron all sky survey (2MASS) and SuperCOSMOS were searched for ultracool companions to white dwarfs, where one M9 1 companion to a DA white dwarf is spectroscopically confirmed as the widest separated system of its kind known to date. The age of the M9 1 is constrained to a minium age of 1.94Gyrs, based on the estimated age of the white dwarf from a spectroscopically derived Teff and log g and an initial-final mass relation. This search was extended using the next generation surveys, the sloan digital sky survey (SDSS) and the UK infrared deep sky survey (UKIDSS), where potential white dwarf + ultracool dwarf binary systems from this search are presented. A handful of these candidate systems were followed-up with second epoch near infrared (NIR) imaging. A new white dwarf with a spectroscopic M4 companion and a possible wide tertiary ultracool component is here confirmed. Also undertaken was a pilot imaging survey in the NIR, to search for ultracool companions to subgiants in the southern hemisphere using the Anglo-Australian telescope. The candidates from that search, as well as the subsequent follow-up of systems through second epoch NIR/optical imaging and methane imaging are presented. No systems are confirmed from the current data but a number of good candidates remain to be followed-up and look encouraging. A search for widely separated ultracool objects selected from 2MASS as companions to Hipparcos main-sequence stars was also undertaken. 16 candidate systems were revealed, five of which had been previously identified and two new L0 2 companions are here confirmed, as companions to the F5V spectroscopic system HD120005 and the M dwarf GD 605. The properties of HD120005C were calculated using the DUSTY and COND models from the Lyon group, and the age of the systems were inferred from the primary members. For GD 605B no age constraint could be placed due to the lack of information available about the primary, but HD120005C has an estimated age of 2-4Gyr. In the final part of this thesis I investigate correlations with NIR broadband colours (J - H, H - K and J - K) with respect to properties, Teff , log g and [Fe/H] for the benchmark ultracool dwarfs, both confirmed from the searches undertaken in this work and those available from the literature. This resulted in an observed correlation with NIR colour and Teff, which is presented here. I find no correlation however with NIR colours and log g or [Fe/H], due in part to a lack of suitable benchmarks. I show that despite the current lack of good benchmark objects, this work has the potential to allow UCD properties to be measured from observable characteristics, and suggest that expanding this study should reveal many more benchmarks where true correlation between properties and observables can be better investigated.
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Samaddar, Debasmita. "Photometric variability of three brown dwarfs." Access to citation, abstract and download form provided by ProQuest Information and Learning Company; downloadable PDF file 2.24 Mb., 65 p, 2006. http://proquest.umi.com/pqdlink?did=1075713471&Fmt=7&clientId=8331&RQT=309&VName=PQD.
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Tata, Ramarao. "SEARCH, CHARACTERIZATION, AND PROPERTIES OF BROWN DWARFS." Doctoral diss., University of Central Florida, 2009. http://digital.library.ucf.edu/cdm/ref/collection/ETD/id/3439.
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A trend in polarization as predicted by theoretical models was validated, and atmospheric dust grain sizes and projected rotational velocities for these objects were estimated. Comprehensive studies of UDs are proving to be crucial not only in our understanding of UDs but also for star and planet formation as brown dwarfs represent their lower and upper mass boundaries, respectively.
Brown dwarfs (BD) were mere theoretical astrophysical objects for more than three decades (Kumar (1962)) till their first observational detection in 1995 (Rebolo et al. (1995), Nakajima et al. (1995)). These objects are intermediate in mass between stars and planets. Since their observational discovery these objects have been studied thoroughly and holistically.Various methods for searching and characterizing these objects in different regions of the sky have been put forward and tested with great success. Theoretical models describing their physical, atmospheric and chemical processes and properties have been proposed and have been validated with a large number of observational results. The work presented in this dissertation is a compilation of synoptic studies of ultracool dwarfs(UDs)¹. [Footnote 1:]. [bullet] A search for wide binaries around solar type stars in upper scorpio OB association (Upper Sco) do indicate (the survey is not yet complete) a deficit of BD binaries at these large separations ([less than] 5AU). [bullet] Twenty six new UDs were discovered at low galactic latitudes in our survey from archival data and a novel technique using reduced proper motion. [bullet] Six field UDs were discovered by spectroscopic follow-up of the candidates selected from a deep survey. [bullet] Optical interferometry was used to independently determine the orbit of the companion of HD33636 which was initially determined using Hubble Space Telescope(HST)astrometry and radial velocity found. Some inconsistency in the HST determined orbit and mass. [bullet] Optical linear polarization in UDs was used to investigate the dust propertied in their atmospheres.
Footnote 1: We use the term “ultracool dwarfs” as the mass of most of the objects mentioned is unknown, which is required to classify an object as a brown dwarf. We define objects later than M7 as ultra cool dwarfs.Ph.D.
Department of Physics
Sciences
Physics PhD
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Cossburn, Martin R. "The study of low-mass stars and brown dwarfs." Thesis, University of Leicester, 1999. http://hdl.handle.net/2381/30616.
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This thesis describes the search for brown dwarfs in open clusters using optical and infrared photometry, optical spectroscopy and surveys using the Hubble Space Telescope (HST). It also includes an observational study of very low-mass stars (VLMS) using a filter combination (I and Z), unused previously in this field enabling the calibration of the colour (I--Z), for future survey work. Following a short introduction explaining the reasons for studying brown dwarfs this thesis reviews the theory of their formation and evolution and describes recent searches for brown dwarfs and their results. Modern CCD technology has led to larger and larger area cluster surveys and so chapter 3 reviews this technology and the data reduction software and techniques necessary for analysis. Chapters 4, 5, 6 and 7 present the observational results. Chapter 4 presents an essentially null result of a deep HST survey in the Pleiades. Chapter 5 presents the d ata used to calibrate the I--Z colour and chapter 6 describes the discovery of PIZ 1, a brown dwarf in the Pleiades of mass 0.048 M⊙ and effective temperature ~2200K. Chapter 7 presents the infrared follow-up results of a number of recent large area optical surveys. Chapters 8 and 9 use the results from the latest surveys to determine the mass and luminosity functions of both Praesepe and the Pleiades. In Praesepe the mass function is calculated down to the brown dwarf limit in the cluster and shows no sign of turning down. In the Pleiades the mass function appears to be flattening across the stellar sub-stellar boundary. Finally in Chapter 10 I summarise the important conclusions from each chapter and identify areas of future work.
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Pinfield, David J. "Low mass stars and brown dwarfs in open clusters." Thesis, University of Leicester, 1998. http://hdl.handle.net/2381/30612.
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This thesis describes several open cluster searches for very low mass stars (VLM) and brown dwarfs (BD) (M/M? < 0.08). With recent developments in charged coupled devices, it has become possible to survey open clusters to well into the BD regime. The principal aim of this work is to employ these new instruments to conduct such open cluster surveys, to investigate the properties of VLM and BD populations. The thesis begins with a short introduction, which describes the fundamental properties of brown dwarfs, relates research in this field to other areas of astronomy, and summarises the project aims and thesis structure. The second chapter gives a review of the current theoretical and observational status of the field, and the third chapter describes the principles and methods used to carry out the photometry presented in this thesis. The results are presented in chapters (4), (5), (6) and (7). An RIZ survey of Praesepe produces a sample of 26 candidate VLM and BDs. K band photometric follow up of 11 of these highlights one as a binary system that almost certainly contains at least one brown dwarf. K photometry is still needed for the remaining 15. The RIZ survey also finds a possible steepening of Praesepe's mass function into the BD regime. The Praesepe infrared sequence compares very well with the latest non gray model predictions, and the binary fraction in Praesepe is found to be essentially the same as for The Pleiades. A catalogue of Pleiades stars is used to model the cluster. King profiles are plotted for 4 mass bins and these profiles suggest that the cluster is relaxed. Virial analysis is then used to show that the cluster contains not more than 131M of dark matter (BDs) to add to the observed mass of 735M. Further deep surveys in The Pleiades, Praesepe and the Hyades result in 88 new Pleiades BD candidates, 141 Praesepe VLM candidates and 33 Hyades BD candidates. These new candidate lists, as well as finder charts are given in the appendices.
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Kenyon, Michael John. "Low mass stars and brown dwarfs around σ Orionis." Thesis, Keele University, 2004. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.409546.
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Manjavacas, E., P. A. Miles-Paez, M. R. Zapatero-Osorio, B. Goldman, E. Buenzli, T. Henning, E. Palle, and M. Fang. "Testing the existence of optical linear polarization in young brown dwarfs." OXFORD UNIV PRESS, 2017. http://hdl.handle.net/10150/624425.
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Linear polarization can be used as a probe of the existence of atmospheric condensates in ultracool dwarfs. Models predict that the observed linear polarization increases with the degree of oblateness, which is inversely proportional to the surface gravity. We aimed to test the existence of optical linear polarization in a sample of bright young brown dwarfs, with spectral types between M6 and L2, observable from the Calar Alto Observatory, and cataloged previously as low gravity objects using spectroscopy. Linear polarimetric images were collected in I and R band using CAFOS at the 2.2-m telescope in Calar Alto Observatory (Spain). The flux ratio method was employed to determine the linear polarization degrees. With a confidence of 3 sigma, our data indicate that all targets have a linear polarimetry degree in average below 0.69 per cent in the I band, and below 1.0 per cent in the R band, at the time they were observed. We detected significant (i.e. P/sigma >= 3) linear polarization for the young M6 dwarf 2MASS J04221413+1530525 in the R band, with a degree of p* = 0.81 +/- 0.17 per cent.
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King, Robert R. "Low-mass stars and brown dwarfs : optical/infrared photometry and spectroscopy of low-mass stars and brown dwarfs in the Field and Young Clusters." Thesis, University of Exeter, 2009. http://hdl.handle.net/10036/97095.
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In this thesis I will present optical and near-infrared photometric and spectroscopic observations of an evolved field brown dwarf binary pair and of populations of low-mass stars in high-mass young stellar clusters and will compare them to stellar and substellar theoretical model predictions. Epsilon Indi Ba and Bb are the closest known brown dwarfs to the Earth, and, as such, make possible a concerted observational campaign to obtain a complete characterisation of two intermediate-age T dwarfs. Although some recent observations suggest substellar atmospheric and evolutionary models may be inconsistent with observations, there have been few conclusive tests to date. I will present high angular resolution optical, near-infrared, and thermal-infrared imaging and medium-resolution (up to R~5000) spectroscopy of these two T dwarfs. Using these data I have derived luminosities of log L/Lsun = -4.699 +/- 0.017 and -5.232 +/- 0.020 for Epsilon Indi Ba, Bb, respectively, and I will show that the predictions of substellar evolutionary models using luminosity and mass constraints are inconsistent with the effective temperatures and surface gravities derived from fitting atmospheric models to observed spectra. Furthermore, I will show that, even where estimates of the effective temperature, surface gravity, and luminosity are available, estimates of the mass of cool brown dwarfs can be up to a factor of two lower than the measured dynamical mass. Considering the difficulty in assigning accurate ages to any system and the mass-luminosity-age degeneracy of brown dwarfs, I would caution against the over-analysis of predicted brown dwarf masses at this time. I have also used Chandra X-ray observations to identify near-complete and relatively unbiased samples of pre-main-sequence stars in the young stellar clusters NGC 2244 and Trumpler 14. Using optical photometric and spectroscopic observations, I will characterise the apparent age spreads seen in the cluster pre-main-sequences. Mass estimates will then be derived for their stellar populations and used to construct the initial mass function for each cluster. It is found that NGC 2244 appears to have a Salpeter-like IMF for stars in the mass range 0.5--2.0 Msun if a likely age of 2 Myr is adopted, while Tr 14 may have a top-heavy IMF at a similar age. However, I will show that because the observed slopes of the cluster pre-main-sequences are not well-matched by the predicted slope in colour-magnitude space, such determinations are heavily dependent on the assumed age of the cluster and complicated due to the large spreads in isochronal ages.
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Steele, Iain A. "Photometry and spectroscopy of low mass stars and brown dwarfs." Thesis, University of Leicester, 1994. http://hdl.handle.net/2381/35798.
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This thesis describes an investigation of the faintest known proper motion members of the Pleiades star cluster. The primary aim of the work is an attempt to determine whether the lowest mass members of the cluster are brown dwarfs. A brief introduction outlines the fundamental properties of brown dwarfs and discusses the relation of research in this area to other branches of astronomy. The second chapter describes the basic principles of astronomical photometry and spectroscopy, the instruments used and the methods of data reduction. Chapter three gives a review of the current theory and observations of brown dwarfs. The results are presented in chapters four, five and six. RIJHK photometry for a sample of 62 objects is presented. The 1,1 - K diagram is shown to be a good discriminant of binary status for low mass cluster objects and using this diagram two single brown dwarf candidates and seven potential brown dwarf containing binaries are identified. FOS optical spectroscopy of 31 objects is used in an investigation of temperature indicators for cool stars. In addition gravity sensitive features indicate that the surface gravity of the Pleiades objects is lower than equivalent main sequence objects. Also discussed are the chromospheric and coronal activity of cluster members, and evidence is presented showing a turnover in both at ~ 0.3M⊕, where the objects become fully convective. CGS4 1-2.5 micron spectra are used in a futher investigation of methods of determining effective temperature and in searching for evidence of low mass companions. One object shows evidence for a low mass companion of ~ 0.035M⊕. Chapter seven discusses the evidence from these results that the faintest members observed are brown dwarfs and evidence from other workers that they are not. This chapter also gives suggestions for future work. Appendices compile the theoretical models and data used in the project.
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Hambly, Nigel Charles. "Very low mass stars and brown dwarfs in galactic clusters." Thesis, University of Leicester, 1991. http://hdl.handle.net/2381/35905.
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This thesis describes searches for very low mass stars (0.3 > m/m > 0.08) and brown dwarfs (0.08 > m/m > 0.01) in the Pleiades and Carinae galactic open clusters using COSMOS automatic measures of Schmidt photographic plates. A broad introduction defines the problem and relates research in this area to other branches of astronomy; the second chapter presents a detailed review of the current observational and theoretical status of the subject; and the third chapter briefly describes the observational techniques employed. The results are presented in chapters four and five. The Pleiades results indicate the presence of significant numbers of very low mass stars and possible brown dwarfs with the distinct possibility of discovering more in the near future; two techniques for extracting Pleiades member stars from the field (star counts and proper motions) are described and the cluster luminosity function is found to be strikingly similar in shape to that found for the field stars near the sun. A list of probable Pleiades members, the faintest of which may be brown dwarfs, is presented in the appendix. The derived mass function, although uncertain, indicates that brown dwarfs are present in the cluster. The preliminary analysis of the field around the Carinae cluster highlights the problems of crowded field astronomy using these techniques. Although this cluster does not appear to be as rich as the Pleiades, the results obtained so far indicate possible very low mass main sequence membership that could be investigated further with more plate material. Finally, these and other results are discussed in chapter six and suggestions for further work are presented. Appendices at the end compile data on the least luminous objects known, present photoelectric calibration sequences for the plate material and reproduce reprints of two papers derived from this work.
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Gallardo, José. "Physics of low mass stars, brown dwarfs and extrasolar planets." Lyon, École normale supérieure (sciences), 2007. http://www.theses.fr/2007ENSL0412.
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Manjavacas, Elena, Dániel Apai, Yifan Zhou, Theodora Karalidi, Ben W. P. Lew, Glenn Schneider, Nicolas Cowan, et al. "Cloud Atlas: Discovery of Rotational Spectral Modulations in a Low-mass, L-type Brown Dwarf Companion to a Star." IOP PUBLISHING LTD, 2017. http://hdl.handle.net/10150/626404.
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Observations of rotational modulations of brown dwarfs and giant exoplanets allow the characterization of condensate cloud properties. As of now, rotational spectral modulations have only been seen in three L-type brown dwarfs. We report here the discovery of rotational spectral modulations in LP261-75B, an L6-type intermediate surface gravity companion to an M4.5 star. As a part of the Cloud Atlas Treasury program, we acquired time-resolved Wide Field Camera 3 grism spectroscopy (1.1-1.69 mu m) of LP261-75B. We find gray spectral variations with the relative amplitude displaying only a weak wavelength dependence and no evidence for lower-amplitude modulations in the 1.4. mu m water band than in the adjacent continuum. The likely rotational modulation period is 4.78 +/- 0.95. hr, although the rotational phase is not well sampled. The minimum relative amplitude in the white light curve measured over the whole wavelength range is 2.41% +/- 0.14%. We report an unusual light curve, which seems to have three peaks approximately evenly distributed in rotational phase. The spectral modulations suggests that the upper atmosphere cloud properties in LP261-75B are similar to two other mid-L dwarfs of typical infrared colors, but differ from that of the extremely red L-dwarf WISE0047.
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Konopacky, Quinn Morgan. "Dynamics and multiplicity of brown dwarfs and young, low mass stars." Diss., Restricted to subscribing institutions, 2009. http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?did=1997620861&sid=1&Fmt=2&clientId=1564&RQT=309&VName=PQD.
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Thackrah, Andrew David. "A photographic survey of very low mass stars and brown dwarfs." Thesis, University of Edinburgh, 1997. http://hdl.handle.net/1842/27522.
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This thesis presents a study of the very low mass stars and hypothesised brown dwarf population that straddle the end of the stellar main sequence. The current status of the physical and observational arguments for the existence of sub-stellar objects is reviewed and the most recent numerical models are assessed. The suitability of wide-field photographic plates as detectors of this type of object is investigated, a 150 square degree photographic survey is described and subsequent candidate observations are presented. It is found that for conventional survey-grade U.K. Schmidt plates, the detection probability is sensitive to a range of assumptions concerning the initial mass function and density distribution function. For objects of spectral class later than M5, brown dwarfs may constitute up to one third of the objects detected, though this value is extremely sensitive to the photographic flux limit and is also found to decrease toward the plate limit if a time-dependent density function is used to describe the space distribution. The height of the Sun above the Galactic plane is considered and it is calculated that given the present estimates, an upper limit to the likely variation in number density is around 50%, corresponding to less than ten objects per square degree. Variations of the assumed initial mass function strongly affect the absolute values. The predicted age distribution of detectable brown dwarfs suggest that the vast majority of them will be less than 1 gigayear in age. The predicted spectral distribution begins around M4 to 5, peaking around M6 to M7. A photographic brown dwarf survey is feasible provided suitable follow-up measurements are carried-out to assess the ages of candidate objects. In mid-to-high latitude Galactic fields photographic plates are more suited to such a survey than current CCD detectors. A photographic survey is described making use of R and I band photographic plates from the U.K. and ESO Schmidt telescopes. The ROE's COSMOS and SUPERCOSMOS densitometers were used to measure the plates with candidates being selected by photometric colour. The techniques devised to match the image catalogues, photometrically calibrate the magnitude scale, automatically classify stellar and galaxian images and measure image displacements are described. The luminosity function derived from the survey is found to conform to previous determinations, showing no sign of increasing space density in the faintest bins.
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Cardoso, Catia Vanessa Varejao. "Observational properties of brown dwarfs : the low-mass end of the mass function." Thesis, University of Exeter, 2012. http://hdl.handle.net/10036/3592.
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Brown dwarfs are objects with sub-stellar masses that are unable to sustain hydrogen burning, cooling down through out their lifetimes. This thesis presents two projects, the study of the IMF of the double cluster, h & χ Persei, and the determination of the dynamical masses of the brown dwarf binary, ε Indi Ba, Bb. The study of a cluster’s population distribution gives us the opportunity to study a statistically meaningful population of objects over a wide range of masses (from massive stars to brown dwarfs), with a similar age and chemical composition providing formation and dynamical evolution constraints. h & χ Persei is the largest double cluster known in our galaxy. Using optical and infrared photometric data we have produced the deepest mass function for the system. A study of the radial distribution shows evidence of mass segregation while the mass function shows that these clusters may be suffering from accelerated dynamical evolution due to their interaction, triggering the ejection of brown dwarfs. The physical parameterization of brown dwarfs is reliant on the use of interior and atmospheric models. The study of brown dwarf binaries can provide crucial model independent measurements, especially masses. ε Indi Ba, Bb (spectral types T1 and T6) is the closest known brown dwarf binary to Earth. The brown dwarf binary itself orbits a main sequence star allowing us to constrain the distance, metallicity and age of the system making it possible to break the sub-stellar mass-age-luminosity degeneracy. The relative motion of the brown dwarf binary has been studied with precision astrometry from infrared AO data, allowing the determination of the system mass, 121.16 ± 0.17 ± 1.08 MJup . The individual masses of the binary components were derived from the absolute movement of the binary to be MBa = 68.04±0.94 MJup and MBb = 53.12±0.32 MJup. We concluded that the isochronally-derived masses were underestimating the system mass by ∼ 60%, due to the likely underestimation of the age of the system. The evolutionary models are consistent with the parameters measured observationally if the system has an age ∼ 4 Gyr.
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Riaz, Basmah. "A study of circumstellar disk properties in low-mass stars and brown dwarfs." Access to citation, abstract and download form provided by ProQuest Information and Learning Company; downloadable PDF file, 129 p, 2008. http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?did=1597616011&sid=8&Fmt=2&clientId=8331&RQT=309&VName=PQD.
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Hodosán, Gabriella. "Lightning on exoplanets and brown dwarfs." Thesis, University of St Andrews, 2017. http://hdl.handle.net/10023/12079.
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Lightning is an important electrical phenomenon, known to exist in several Solar System planets. Amongst others, it carries information on convection and cloud formation, and may be important for pre-biotic chemistry. Exoplanets and brown dwarfs have been shown to host environments appropriate for the initiation of lightning discharges. In this PhD project, I aim to determine if lightning on exoplanets and brown dwarfs can be more energetic than it is known from Solar System planets, what are the most promising signatures to look for, and if these "exo-lightning" signatures can be detected from Earth. This thesis focuses on three major topics. First I discuss a lightning climatology study of Earth, Jupiter, Saturn, and Venus. I apply the obtained lightning statistics to extrasolar planets in order to give a first estimate on lightning occurrence on exoplanets and brown dwarfs. Next, I introduce a short study of potential lightning activity on the exoplanet HAT-P-11b, based on previous radio observations. Related to this, I discuss a first estimate of observability of lightning from close brown dwarfs, with the optical Danish Telescope. The final part of my project focuses on a lightning radio model, which is applied to study the energy and radio power released from lightning discharges in hot giant gas planetary and brown dwarf atmospheres. The released energy determines the observability of signatures, and the effect lightning has on the local atmosphere of the object. This work combines knowledge obtained from planetary and earth sciences and uses that to learn more about extrasolar systems. My main results show that lightning on exoplanets may be more energetic than in the Solar System, supporting the possibility of future observations and detection of lightning activity on an extrasolar body. My work provides the base for future radio, optical, and infrared search for "exo-lightning".
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Slesnick, Catherine Louise Brown Michael E. "1-10 Myr-old low mass stars and brown dwarfs in nearby star forming regions /." Diss., Pasadena, Calif. : Caltech, 2008. http://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechETD:etd-08102007-161741.
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Riddick, Fiona Clare. "A spectroscopic study of low-mass stars and brown dwarfs in Orion." Thesis, University of Oxford, 2005. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.437013.
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Hendler, Nathanial P., Gijs D. Mulders, Ilaria Pascucci, Aaron Greenwood, Inga Kamp, Thomas Henning, Francois Menard, William R. F. Dent, and Neal J. II Evans. "Hints for Small Disks around Very Low Mass Stars and Brown Dwarfs." IOP PUBLISHING LTD, 2017. http://hdl.handle.net/10150/624452.
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The properties of disks around brown dwarfs and very low mass stars (hereafter VLMOs) provide important boundary conditions on the process of planet formation and inform us about the numbers and masses of planets than can form in this regime. We use the Herschel Space Observatory PACS spectrometer to measure the continuum and [O I] 63 mu m line emission toward 11 VLMOs with known disks in the Taurus and Chamaeleon I star-forming regions. We fit radiative transfer models to the spectral energy distributions of these sources. Additionally, we carry out a grid of radiative transfer models run in a regime that connects the luminosity of our sources with brighter T Tauri stars. We find that VLMO disks with sizes 1.3-78 au, smaller than typical T Tauri disks, fit well the spectral energy distributions assuming that disk geometry and dust properties are stellar mass independent. Reducing the disk size increases the disk temperature, and we show that VLMOs do not follow previously derived disk temperature-stellar luminosity relationships if the disk outer radius scales with stellar mass. Only 2 out of 11 sources are detected in [O I] despite a better sensitivity than was achieved for T Tauri stars, suggesting that VLMO disks are underluminous. Using thermochemical models, we show that smaller disks can lead to the unexpected [O I] 63 mu m nondetections in our sample. The disk outer radius is an important factor in determining the gas and dust observables. Hence, spatially resolved observations with ALMA-to establish if and how disk radii scale with stellar mass-should be pursued further.
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Yang, Hao, Dániel Apai, Mark S. Marley, Theodora Karalidi, Davin Flateau, Adam P. Showman, Stanimir Metchev, et al. "EXTRASOLAR STORMS: PRESSURE-DEPENDENT CHANGES IN LIGHT-CURVE PHASE IN BROWN DWARFS FROM SIMULTANEOUS HST AND SPITZER OBSERVATIONS." IOP PUBLISHING LTD, 2016. http://hdl.handle.net/10150/621379.
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We present Spitzer/Infrared Array Camera Ch1 and Ch2 monitoring of six brown dwarfs during eight different epochs over the course of 20 months. For four brown dwarfs, we also obtained simulataneous Hubble Space Telescope (HST)/WFC3 G141 grism spectra during two epochs and derived light curves in five narrowband filters. Probing different pressure levels in the atmospheres, the multiwavelength light curves of our six targets all exhibit variations, and the shape of the light curves evolves over the timescale of a rotation period, ranging from 1.4 to 13 hr. We compare the shapes of the light curves and estimate the phase shifts between the light curves observed at different wavelengths by comparing the phase of the primary Fourier components. We use state-of-the-art atmosphere models to determine the flux contribution of different pressure layers to the observed flux in each filter. We find that the light curves that probe higher pressures are similar and in phase, but are offset and often different from the light curves that probe lower pressures. The phase differences between the two groups of light curves suggest that the modulations seen at lower and higher pressures may be introduced by different cloud layers.
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Thompson, Simon. "Low mass stars, brown dwarfs and the initial mass function in Cepheus OB3b." Thesis, Keele University, 2002. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.288434.
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Marks, M., E. L. Martín, V. J. S. Béjar, N. Lodieu, P. Kroupa, E. Manjavacas, I. Thies, López R. Rebolo, and S. Velasco. "Using binary statistics in Taurus-Auriga to distinguish between brown dwarf formation processes." EDP SCIENCES S A, 2017. http://hdl.handle.net/10150/625997.
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Context. One of the key questions of the star formation problem is whether brown dwarfs (BDs) form in the manner of stars directly from the gravitational collapse of a molecular cloud core (star-like) or whether BDs and some very low-mass stars (VLMSs) constitute a separate population that forms alongside stars comparable to the population of planets, for example through circumstellar disk (peripheral) fragmentation. Aims. For young stars in Taurus-Auriga the binary fraction has been shown to be large with little dependence on primary mass above approximate to 0.2 M-circle dot, while for BDs the binary fraction is < 10%. Here we investigate a case in which BDs in Taurus formed dominantly, but not exclusively, through peripheral fragmentation, which naturally results in small binary fractions. The decline of the binary frequency in the transition region between star-like formation and peripheral formation is modelled. Methods. We employed a dynamical population synthesis model in which stellar binary formation is universal with a large binary fraction close to unity. Peripheral objects form separately in circumstellar disks with a distinctive initial mass function (IMF), their own orbital parameter distributions for binaries, and small binary fractions, according to observations and expectations from smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) and grid-based computations. A small amount of dynamical processing of the stellar component was accounted for as appropriate for the low-density Taurus-Auriga embedded clusters. Results. The binary fraction declines strongly in the transition region between star-like and peripheral formation, exhibiting characteristic features. The location of these features and the steepness of this trend depend on the mass limits for star-like and peripheral formation. Such a trend might be unique to low density regions, such as Taurus, which host binary populations that are largely unprocessed dynamically in which the binary fraction is large for stars down to M-dwarfs and small for BDs. Conclusions. The existence of a strong decline in the binary fraction - primary mass diagram will become verifiable in future surveys on BD and VLMS binarity in the Taurus-Auriga star-forming region. The binary fraction -primary mass diagram is a diagnostic of the (non-)continuity of star formation along the mass scale, the separateness of the stellar and BD populations, and the dominant formation channel for BDs and BD binaries in regions of low stellar density hosting dynamically unprocessed populations.
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Canty, James Ignatius. "Investigating the properties of brown dwarfs using intermediate-resolution spectroscopy." Thesis, University of Hertfordshire, 2015. http://hdl.handle.net/2299/15194.
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This thesis is an investigation into some properties of brown dwarfs using medium-resolution spectroscopy. In the first part of the thesis, I address the issue of parameter degeneracy in brown dwarfs. In the course of my analysis, I derive a gravity-sensitive spectral index which can be used, statistically at least, to differentiate populations of young objects from field dwarfs. The index is also capable of finding the difference between a population of ~1 Myr objects and a population of ~10 Myr objects and may be used to separate low-mass members from foreground and background objects in young clusters and associations. The second part of my thesis is an investigation into the major opacity sources in the atmospheres of late T dwarfs. I look particularly at CH4 and NH3 absorption features in the near-infrared spectra of these objects. In my analysis, I identify new absorption features produced by these molecules. I also correct features which had previously been wrongly identified. This has been made possible by the use of high quality data, together with a new CH4 synthetic line list, which is more complete at these temperatures than any previously available list.
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Miles-Paez, Paulo A., Stanimir A. Metchev, Aren Heinze, and Daniel Apai. "Weather on Other Worlds. IV. H alpha Emission and Photometric Variability Are Not Correlated in L0-T8 Dwarfs." IOP PUBLISHING LTD, 2017. http://hdl.handle.net/10150/624337.
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Recent photometric studies have revealed that surface spots that produce flux variations are present on virtually all L and T dwarfs. Their likely magnetic or dusty nature has been a much-debated problem, the resolution to which has been hindered by paucity of diagnostic multi-wavelength observations. To test for a correlation between magnetic activity and photometric variability, we searched for Ha emission among eight L3-T2 ultra-cool dwarfs with extensive previous photometric monitoring, some of which are known to be variable at 3.6 mu m or 4.5 mu m. We detected Ha only in the non-variable T2 dwarf 2MASS J12545393-0122474. The remaining seven objects do not show Ha emission, even though six of them are known to vary photometrically. Combining our results with those for 86 other L and T dwarfs from the literature show that the detection rate of Ha emission is very high (94%) for spectral types between L0 and L3.5 and much smaller (20%) for spectral types. >= L4, while the detection rate of photometric variability is approximately constant (30%-55%) from L0 to T8 dwarfs. We conclude that chromospheric activity, as evidenced by H alpha emission, and large-amplitude photometric variability are not correlated. Consequently, dust clouds are the dominant driver of the observed variability of ultra-cool dwarfs at spectral types, at least as early as L0.
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Okeng'o, Geoffrey Onchong’a. "A theoretical study of stellart pulsations in young brown dwarfs." Thesis, University of the Western Cape, 2011. http://hdl.handle.net/11394/2567.
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Magister Scientiae - MscThis thesis reports the results of a twofold study on the recently proposed phenomenon of ‘stellar pulsations’ in young brown dwarfs by the seminal study of Palla and Baraffe (2005) (PB05, thereafter). The PB05 study presents results of a non-adiabatic linear stability analysis showing that young brown dwarfs should become pulsationally unstable during the deuterium burning phase of their evolution.
South Africa
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Zhang, ZengHua. "Discovery and characterisation of ultra-cool dwarfs in large scale surveys." Thesis, University of Hertfordshire, 2013. http://hdl.handle.net/2299/13900.
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Ultracool dwarfs including the lowest mass stars and substellar dwarfs (or brown dwarfs) is a rapidly evolving and very active field. In this thesis I present the discovery and characterization of ultracool dwarfs and their binary systems with solar and subsolar abundances and try to answer a few scientific questions related to these ultracool objects. I use different techniques based on photometric and astrometric data of modern large scale surveys to identify ultracool dwarfs and their binaries. I identify around 1000 ultracool dwarfs from SDSS, 2MASS and UKIDSS surveys, including 82 L dwarfs and 129 L dwarf candidates (Chapter 2 and 4). This work largely increases the known number of ultracool dwarfs and aid the statistic study of these objects. Eighteen ultracool dwarfs in my sample are found to be in wide binary systems by common proper motion (Chapter 4 and 5). Wide binary systems are often used to test formation theories of low mass stars and brown dwarfs, which have different predictions of separations and binary fractions. One of these binary systems is the first L dwarf companion to a giant star eta Cancri. The eta Cancri B is clearly a useful benchmark object, with constrained distance, age, and metallicity. Further more, the L3.5 dwarf companion eta Cancri B is found to be a potential L4 + T4 binary. I focus on the studies of low mass stars and brown dwarfs with subsolar abundance referred as red and ultracool subdwarfs. They belong to the older Population II of the Galactic halo contain more information of the formation, early evolution and structure of the Milky Way. Using the most extensive optical survey, the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS), to select low mass stars with subsolar abundance, referred as red subdwarfs with spectral types of late K and M. I identify about 1800 M subdwarfs including 30 new >M6 subdwarfs and five M ultra subdwarfs with very high gravity as well as 14 carbon enhanced red subdwarfs. I also identify 45 red subdwarf binary systems from my red subdwarf sample. Thirty of them are in wide binary systems identified by common proper motion. Fifteen binaries are partially resolved in SDSS and UKIDSS. I estimate the M subdwarf binary fraction. I fit the relationships of spectral types and absolute magnitudes of optical and near infrared bands for M and L subdwarfs. I also measure $UVW$ space velocities of the my M subdwarf sample (Chapter 5). Our studies of the lowest mass stars and brown dwarfs of the Galactic halo are limited by the lack of known objects. There are only seven L subdwarfs published in the literature. I search for ultracool subdwarfs by a combine use of the most extensive optical and near infrared surveys, the SDSS and the UKIRT Infrared Deep Sky Survey. I identify three new L subdwarfs with spectral types of sdL3, sdL7 and esdL6. I re-examine the spectral types and metal classes of all known L subdwarfs and propose to use 2.3 um CO line as an indicator of L subdwarfs. Two of my new L subdwarfs are found to be candidates of halo brown dwarfs (or substellar subdwarfs). I find four of these known ten L subdwarfs could be halo brown dwarfs. I propose a new name "purple dwarf" for lowest-mass stars and brown dwarfs with subsolar abundance (Chapter 3). Finally I summarize and discuss the thesis project in Chapter 6 and describe future research plans in Chapter 7.
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Kellogg, Kendra, Stanimir Metchev, Paulo A. Miles-Páez, and Megan E. Tannock. "A Statistical Survey of Peculiar L and T Dwarfs in SDSS, 2MASS, and WISE." IOP PUBLISHING LTD, 2017. http://hdl.handle.net/10150/625747.
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We present the final results from a targeted search for brown dwarfs with unusual near-infrared colors. From a positional cross-match of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS), 2-Micron All-Sky Survey (2MASS), and Wide-Field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) catalogs, we have identified 144 candidate peculiar L and T dwarfs. Spectroscopy confirms that 20 of the objects are peculiar or are candidate binaries. Of the 420 objects in our full sample 9 are young (less than or similar to 200 Myr; 2.1%) and another 8 (1.9%) are unusually red, with no signatures of youth. With a spectroscopic J-K-s color of 2.58 +/- 0.11 mag, one of the new objects, the L6 dwarf 2MASS J03530419 +0418193, is among the reddest field dwarfs currently known and is one of the reddest objects with no signatures of youth known to date. We have also discovered another potentially very-low-gravity object, the L1 dwarf 2MASS J00133470+1109403, and independently identified the young L7 dwarf 2MASS J00440332+0228112, which was first reported by Schneider and collaborators. Our results confirm that signatures of low gravity are no longer discernible in low to moderate resolution spectra of objects older than similar to 200 Myr. The 1.9% of unusually red L dwarfs that do not show other signatures of youth could be slightly older, up to similar to 400 Myr. In this case a red J - K-s color may be more diagnostic of moderate youth than individual spectral features. However, its is also possible that these objects are relatively metal-rich, and thus have enhanced atmospheric dust content.
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Cook, Neil James. "M dwarfs from the SDSS, 2MASS and WISE surveys : identification, characterisation and unresolved ultracool companionship." Thesis, University of Hertfordshire, 2016. http://hdl.handle.net/2299/17244.
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The aim of this thesis is to use a cross-match between WISE, 2MASS and SDSS to identify a large sample of M dwarfs. Through the careful characterisation and quality control of these M dwarfs I aim to identify rare systems (i.e. unresolved UCD companions, young M dwarfs, late M dwarfs and M dwarfs with common proper motion companions). Locating ultracool companions to M dwarfs is important for constraining low-mass formation models, the measurement of substellar dynamical masses and radii, and for testing ultracool evolutionary models. This is done by using an optimised method for identifying M dwarfs which may have unresolved ultracool companions. To do this I construct a catalogue of 440 694 M dwarf candidates, from WISE, 2MASS and SDSS, based on optical- and near-infrared colours and reduced proper motion. With strict reddening, photometric and quality constraints I isolate a sub-sample of 36 898 M dwarfs and search for possible mid-infrared M dwarf + ultracool dwarf candidates by comparing M dwarfs which have similar optical/near-infrared colours (chosen for their sensitivity to effective temperature and metallicity). I present 1 082 M dwarf + ultracool dwarf candidates for follow-up. Using simulated ultracool dwarf companions to M dwarfs, I estimate that the occurrence of unresolved ultracool companions amongst my M dwarf + ultracool dwarf candidates should be at least four times the average for my full M dwarf catalogue. I discuss yields of candidates based on my simulations. The possible contamination and bias from misidentified M dwarfs is then discussed, from chance alignments with other M dwarfs and UCDs, from chance alignments with giant stars, from chance alignments with galaxies, and from blended systems (via visual inspection). I then use optical spectra from LAMOST to spectral type a subset of my M dwarf + ultracool dwarf candidates. These candidates need confirming as true M dwarf + ultracool dwarf systems thus I present a new method I developed to use low resolution near-infrared spectra which relies on two colour similar objects (one an excess candidate, one not) having very similar spectra. A spectral difference of these two colour similar objects should leave the signature of a UCD in the residual of their differences, which I look for using the difference in two spectral bands designed to identify UCD spectral features. I then present the methods used to identify other rare systems from my full M dwarf catalogue. Young M dwarfs were identified by measuring equivalent widths of Hα from the LAMOST spectra, and by measuring rotation periods from Kepler 2 light curves. I identify late M dwarfs photometrically (using reduced proper motion and colour cuts) and spectroscopically (using the LAMOST spectra with spectral indices from the literature). Also I present common proper motion analysis aimed at finding Tycho-2 primaries for my M dwarfs and look for physically separated M dwarf + M dwarf pairs (internally within my full M dwarf catalogue).
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Vorobyov, Eduard I., Maria E. Steinrueck, Vardan Elbakyan, and Manuel Guedel. "Formation of freely floating sub-stellar objects via close encounters." EDP SCIENCES S A, 2017. http://hdl.handle.net/10150/626408.
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Aims. We numerically studied close encounters between a young stellar system hosting a massive, gravitationally fragmenting disk and an intruder diskless star with the aim of determining the evolution of fragments that have formed in the disk prior to the encounter. Methods. Numerical hydrodynamics simulations in the non-inertial frame of reference of the host star were employed to simulate the prograde and retrograde co-planar encounters. The initial configuration of the target system (star plus disk) was obtained via a separate numerical simulation featuring the gravitational collapse of a solar-mass pre-stellar core. Results. We found that close encounters can lead to the ejection of fragments that have formed in the disk of the target prior to collision. In particular, prograde encounters are more efficient in ejecting the fragments than the retrograde encounters. The masses of ejected fragments are in the brown-dwarf mass regime. They also carry away an appreciable amount of gas in their gravitational radius of influence, implying that these objects may possess extended disks or envelopes, as also previously suggested. Close encounters can also lead to the ejection of entire spiral arms, followed by fragmentation and formation of freely-floating objects straddling the planetary mass limit. However, numerical simulations with a higher resolution are needed to confirm this finding.
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Bozhinova, Inna. "TOYS : time-domain observations of young stars." Thesis, University of St Andrews, 2017. http://hdl.handle.net/10023/12014.
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Stars form inside clouds of molecular gas and dust. In the early stages of stellar evolution the remainders of the initial cloud form a circumstellar disk. For the next few million years the disk will slowly dissipate via accretion, outflows, photoevaporation and planet growth while the star makes its way onto the Main Sequence. This stage of a star's life is referred to as the T Tauri phase and is characterised by high-level spectrophotometric variability. This thesis aims to study and map out the environments of T Tauri stars down to the very low mass regime by the means of time-domain monitoring. Different physical processes in the system manifest themselves as variability on different time- scales as well as produce characteristic spectroscopic and photometric features at various wave- lengths. In order to study young stellar objects in depth, the observing campaigns presented in this work were designed to cover a large range of time-scales - minutes, hours, days and months. Combining all the data, this thesis establishes a baseline of over a decade for some objects. The observations also cover a wide range of wavelengths from the optical to the mid-infrared part of the spectrum. The star RW Aur experienced two long-lasting dimming events in 2010 and 2014. This thesis presents a large collection of spectral and photometric measurements carried out just before and during the 2014 event. Spectral accretion signatures indicate no change in the accretion activity of the system. Photometry indicates that parallel to the dimming in the optical the star becomes brighter in the mid-infrared. The observations in this work combined with literature data suggest that the origin of the 2014 event is most likely obscuration of the star by hot dust from the disk being lifted into the disk wind. Very low mass stars (< 0.4 M⊙) are the most common type of star in the Galaxy. In order to understand the early stages of stellar evolution we must study young very low mass stars. This work investigates the photometric and spectroscopic variability of seven brown dwarfs in star forming regions near σ Ori and ε Ori. All targets exhibit optical photometric variability between from 0.1 to over 1.0 magnitude that persists on a time-scale of at least one decade. Despite the photometric variability no change in the spectral type is measured. In the cases where the stars are accreting, modelling of the spectral changes suggest the accretion flow is more homogeneous and less funnelled compared to Sun-like T Tauri stars. The non-accreting variables are more plausibly explained by obscuration by circumstellar material, possibly a ring made out of multiple clouds of dust grains and pebbles with varying optical depths. The star-disk systems studied in this thesis have some broader implications for star and planet formation theory. The case-study of RW Aur has unambiguously demonstrated that the planet- forming environment is very dynamic and can change dramatically on short time-scales, which in turn would have implications for the diversity of planetary systems found in the Galaxy. The Orion stars have shown that the current theory for the T Tauri stage of stellar evolution is valid down to the very low mass regime. The seven dwarfs are a good example for the evolutionary path of circumstellar disks, showing the transition from gas-high, flared accretion disks (σ Ori) to dust-dominated, depleted, structured debris disks (ε Ori).
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Bayo, Amelia, Viki Joergens, Yao Liu, Robert Brauer, Johan Olofsson, Javier Arancibia, Paola Pinilla, et al. "First Millimeter Detection of the Disk around a Young, Isolated, Planetary-mass Object." IOP PUBLISHING LTD, 2017. http://hdl.handle.net/10150/624481.
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OTS44 is one of only four free-floating planets known to have a disk. We have previously shown that it is the coolest and least massive known free-floating planet (similar to 12 M-Jup) with a substantial disk that is actively accreting. We have obtained Band 6 (233 GHz) ALMA continuum data of this very young disk-bearing object. The data show a clear unresolved detection of the source. We obtained disk-mass estimates via empirical correlations derived for young, higher-mass, central (substellar) objects. The range of values obtained are between 0.07 and 0.63 M-circle plus (dust masses). We compare the properties of this unique disk with those recently reported around higher-mass (brown dwarfs) young objects in order to infer constraints on its mechanism of formation. While extreme assumptions on dust temperature yield disk-mass values that could slightly diverge from the general trends found for more massive brown dwarfs, a range of sensible values provide disk masses compatible with a unique scaling relation between M-dust and M* through the substellar domain down to planetary masses.
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Tottle, Jonathan. "Atmospheric and disk properties of young low mass stars and brown dwarfs : an infrared study." Thesis, Imperial College London, 2015. http://hdl.handle.net/10044/1/32111.
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We test state-of-the-art model atmospheres for young low-mass stars and brown dwarfs in the infrared, by comparing the predicted synthetic photometry over 1.2-24um to the observed photometry of M-type spectral templates in star-forming regions. In both early and late young M types, the model atmospheres imply effective temperatures (Teff) several hundred Kelvin lower than predicted by the standard Pre-Main Sequence spectral type-Teff conversion scale (where the latter is based on theoretical evolutionary models). We postulate that in the early M types this discrepancy arises from remaining uncertainties in the treatment of atmospheric convection, whereas in the late M types it is likely due to an underestimation of dust opacity in the atmospheric models and an attendant overestimation of H2O opacity, due to insufficient backwarming by dust. Using the synthetic spectra to estimate stellar properties leads to reasonably accurate bolometric luminosities (Lbol), but overestimates radii (due to underestimated Teff) for the early and late young M types compared to evolutionary theory; this then leads to underestimations of age and mass, which we demonstrate for a large sample of young Cha I and Taurus sources. By selecting the model atmospheres which best represent the true stellar continuum at each spectral type, we then go on to infer the disk parameters for a selection of young, low-mass disk-bearing objects in Cha I by modelling the IR SEDs (again over 1.2-24um) using the radiative transfer code ttsre, coupled to the machine learning code skynet and a Bayesian parameter estimation. Just over half of the sample are able to be accurately fit by the analysis. No noticeable level of correlation is found between the extent of settling and grain growth in the disk and the stellar mass, an interesting result given the lessened gravitational/luminosity effects that lower mass objects should have on their disks. No correlation was also found between the disk thickness and accretion rate (a tracer of the system age), which, when coupled to the fact that a wide range of disk flaring indices are found, suggests that grain growth/settling occurs over a rapid timescale in the disk's early evolutionary sequence.
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Miles-Páez, Paulo A., Stanimir Metchev, Kevin L. Luhman, Massimo Marengo, and Alan Hulsebus. "The Prototypical Young L/T-Transition Dwarf HD 203030B Likely Has Planetary Mass." IOP PUBLISHING LTD, 2017. http://hdl.handle.net/10150/627091.
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Upon its discovery in 2006, the young L7.5 companion to the solar analog HD 203030 was found to be approximate to 200 K cooler than older late-L dwarfs, which is quite unusual. HD. 203030B offered the first clear indication that the effective temperature at the L-to-T spectral type transition depends on surface gravity: now a well-known characteristic of low-gravity ultra-cool dwarfs. An initial age analysis of the G8V primary star indicated that the system was 130-400 Myr old, and so the companion would be between 12 and 31 M-Jup. Using moderate-resolution near-infrared spectra of HD. 203030B, we now find features of very low gravity comparable to those of 10-150 Myr old L7-L8 dwarfs. We also obtained more accurate near-infrared and Spitzer/IRAC photometry, and we find a (J - K) MKO color of 2.56 +/- 0.13 mag-comparable to those observed in other young planetary-mass objects-and a luminosity of log (L-bol/L-circle dot) = -4.75 +/- 0.04 dex. We further re-assess the evidence for the young age of the host star, HD 203030, with a more comprehensive analysis of the photometry and updated stellar activity measurements and age calibrations. Summarizing the age diagnostics for both components of the binary, we adopt an age of 100 Myr for HD 203030B and an age range of 30-150 Myr. Using cloudy evolutionary models, the new companion age range and luminosity result in a mass of 11 M-Jup with a range of 8-15 M-Jup, and an effective temperature of 1040 +/- 50 K.
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Lew, Ben W. P., Daniel Apai, Yifan Zhou, Glenn Schneider, Adam J. Burgasser, Theodora Karalidi, Hao Yang, et al. "CLOUD ATLAS: DISCOVERY OF PATCHY CLOUDS AND HIGH-AMPLITUDE ROTATIONAL MODULATIONS IN A YOUNG, EXTREMELY RED L-TYPE BROWN DWARF." IOP PUBLISHING LTD, 2016. http://hdl.handle.net/10150/622769.
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Condensate clouds fundamentally impact the atmospheric structure and spectra of exoplanets and brown dwarfs, but the connections between surface gravity, cloud structure, dust in the upper atmosphere, and the red colors of some brown dwarfs remain poorly understood. Rotational modulations enable the study of different clouds in the same atmosphere, thereby providing a method to isolate the effects of clouds. Here, we present the discovery of high peak-to-peak amplitude (8%) rotational modulations in a low-gravity, extremely red (J-K-s = 2.55) L6 dwarf WISEP J004701.06+680352.1 (W0047). Using the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) time-resolved grism spectroscopy, we find a best-fit rotational period (13.20 +/- 0.14 hr) with a larger amplitude at 1.1 mu m than at 1.7 mu m. This is the third-largest near-infrared variability amplitude measured in a brown dwarf, demonstrating that large-amplitude variations are not limited to the L/T transition but are present in some extremely red L-type dwarfs. We report a tentative trend between the wavelength dependence of relative amplitude, possibly proxy for small dust grains lofted in the upper atmosphere, and the likelihood of large-amplitude variability. By assuming forsterite as a haze particle, we successfully explain the wavelength-dependent amplitude with submicron-sized haze particle sizes of around 0.4 mu m. W0047 links the earlier spectral and later spectral type brown dwarfs in which rotational modulations have been observed; the large amplitude variations in this object make this a benchmark brown dwarf for the study of cloud properties close to the L/T transition.
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Fang, Min, Jinyoung Serena Kim, Ilaria Pascucci, Dániel Apai, and Carlo Felice Manara. "A CANDIDATE PLANETARY-MASS OBJECT WITH A PHOTOEVAPORATING DISK IN ORION." IOP PUBLISHING LTD, 2016. http://hdl.handle.net/10150/622685.
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In this work, we report the discovery of a candidate planetary-mass object with a photoevaporating protoplanetary disk, Proplyd. 133-353, which is near the massive star theta(1) Ori C at the center of the Orion Nebula Cluster (ONC). The object was known to have extended emission pointing away from theta(1) Ori. C, indicating ongoing external photoevaporation. Our near-infrared spectroscopic data and the location on the H-R diagram suggest that the central source of Proplyd. 133-353 is substellar (similar to M9.5) and has a mass probably less than 13 Jupiter mass and an age younger than 0.5 Myr. Proplyd. 133-353 shows a similar ratio of X-ray luminosity to stellar luminosity to other young stars in the ONC with a similar stellar luminosity and has a similar proper motion to the mean one of confirmed ONC members. We propose that Proplyd. 133-353 formed in a very low-mass dusty cloud or an evaporating gas globule near theta(1) Ori C as a second generation of star formation, which can explain both its young age and the presence of its disk.
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Cheetham, Anthony Craig. "High Resolution Imaging and the Formation of Stars and Planets." Thesis, The University of Sydney, 2015. http://hdl.handle.net/2123/13630.
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Understanding the formation of stellar and planetary systems is one of the great challenges of contemporary astrophysics. This thesis describes progress towards understanding these processes, through advancement of techniques to enable high resolution imaging of faint companions and other structures in the immediate environs of young stars. To ensure optimal performance in an era of large segmented telescopes, techniques to precisely cophase the mirror segments are required. In this thesis we propose the Fizeau Interferometric Cophasing of Segmented Mirrors algorithm, and present the results of testing both numerically and through experiment. We help to rectify a lack of observational evidence with which to test brown dwarf evolutionary models, by laying the foundation for an orbital monitoring survey of 19 brown dwarf binary systems and reporting the discovery of an additional 7 low mass companions to intermediate mass stars. We perform a Non-Redundant Masking (NRM) survey targeting the 1\,Myr old Ophiuchus star forming region. Both binary statistics and the relationship between multiplicity and the presence of a circumstellar disk are explored, providing many results similar to those from older regions. This helps frame the time evolution of effects related to dynamical interactions in binary systems, and the timescale of disk dissipation, with profound implications for giant planet formation. In thesis we also present the results of commissioning for the Gemini Planet Imager Non-Redundant Masking mode. These results indicate that the addition of an Extreme Adaptive Optics systems has substantially improved the performance of NRM compared to previous instruments. Finally, the transition disk T Cha is studied with multi-epoch NRM data, showing that the signal previously interpreted as a planetary companion is more likely to be the result of forward scattering from the inclined outer disk.
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Raghavan, Deepak. "A Survey of Stellar Families: Multiplicity of Solar-type Stars." unrestricted, 2009. http://etd.gsu.edu/theses/available/etd-04212009-165714/.
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Thesis (Ph. D.)--Georgia State University, 2009.Title from file title page. Harold A. McAlister, committee chair; Russel J. White, Brian D. Mason, Douglas R. Gies, David W. Latham, A.G. Unil Perera, Todd J. Henry, committee members. Description based on contents viewed Aug. 24, 2009. Includes bibliographical references (p. 391-410).
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Ricci, L., H. Rome, P. Pinilla, S. Facchini, T. Birnstiel, and L. Testi. "VLA Observations of the Disk around the Young Brown Dwarf 2MASS J044427+2512." IOP PUBLISHING LTD, 2017. http://hdl.handle.net/10150/625755.
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We present multi-wavelength radio observations obtained with the VLA of the protoplanetary disk surrounding the young brown dwarf 2MASS J04442713+2512164 (2M0444) in the Taurus star-forming region. 2M0444 is the brightest known brown dwarf disk at millimeter wavelengths, making this an ideal target to probe radio emission from a young brown dwarf. Thermal emission from dust in the disk is detected at 6.8 and 9.1 mm, whereas the 1.36 cm measured flux is dominated by ionized gas emission. We combine these data with previous observations at shorter sub-mm and mm wavelengths to test the predictions of dust evolution models in gas-rich disks after adapting their parameters to the case of 2M0444. These models show that the radial drift mechanism affecting solids in a gaseous environment has to be either completely made inefficient, or significantly slowed down by very strong gas pressure bumps in order to explain the presence of mm/cm-sized grains in the outer regions of the 2M0444 disk. We also discuss the possible mechanisms for the origin of the ionized gas emission detected at 1.36 cm. The inferred radio luminosity for this emission is in line with the relation between radio and bolometric luminosity valid for for more massive and luminous young stellar objects, and extrapolated down to the very low luminosity of the 2M0444 brown dwarf.
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Pascucci, I., L. Testi, G. J. Herczeg, F. Long, C. F. Manara, N. Hendler, G. D. Mulders, et al. "A STEEPER THAN LINEAR DISK MASS–STELLAR MASS SCALING RELATION." IOP PUBLISHING LTD, 2016. http://hdl.handle.net/10150/622163.
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The disk mass is among the most important input parameter for every planet formation model to determine the number and masses of the planets that can form. We present an ALMA 887 mu m survey of the disk population around objects from similar to 2 to 0.03 M-circle dot in the nearby similar to 2 Myr old Chamaeleon I star-forming region. We detect thermal dust emission from 66 out of 93 disks, spatially resolve 34 of them, and identify two disks with large dust cavities of about 45 au in radius. Assuming isothermal and optically thin emission, we convert the 887 mu m flux densities into dust disk masses, hereafter M-dust. We find that the M-dust-M* relation is steeper than linear and of the form M-dust proportional to (M*)(1.3-1.9), where the range in the power-law index reflects two extremes of the possible relation between the average dust temperature and stellar luminosity. By reanalyzing all millimeter data available for nearby regions in a self-consistent way, we show that the 1-3 Myr old regions of Taurus, Lupus, and Chamaeleon. I share the same M-dust-M* relation, while the 10 Myr old Upper. Sco association has a steeper relation. Theoretical models of grain growth, drift, and fragmentation reproduce this trend and suggest that disks are in the fragmentation-limited regime. In this regime millimeter grains will be located closer in around lower-mass stars, a prediction that can be tested with deeper and higher spatial resolution ALMA observations.
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Konopacky, Quinn M., Julien Rameau, Gaspard Duchêne, Joseph C. Filippazzo, Paige A. Giorla Godfrey, Christian Marois, Eric L. Nielsen, et al. "DISCOVERY OF A SUBSTELLAR COMPANION TO THE NEARBY DEBRIS DISK HOST HR 2562." IOP PUBLISHING LTD, 2016. http://hdl.handle.net/10150/621980.
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We present the discovery of a brown dwarf companion to the debris disk host star HR 2562. This object, discovered with the Gemini Planet Imager (GPI), has a projected separation of 20.3 +/- 0.3 au (0".618 +/- 0".004) from the star. With the high astrometric precision afforded by GPI, we have confirmed, to more than 5 sigma, the common proper motion of HR 2562B with the star, with only a month-long time baseline between observations. Spectral data in the J-, H-, and K-bands show a morphological similarity to L/T transition objects. We assign a spectral type of L7 +/- 3 to HR 2562B. and derive a luminosity of log(L-bol/L-circle dot) = -4.62 +/- 0.12, corresponding to a mass of 30 +/- 15 M-Jup from evolutionary models at an estimated age of the system of 300-900 Myr. Although the uncertainty in the age of the host star is significant, the spectra and photometry exhibit several indications of youth for HR 2562B. The source has a position angle that is consistent with an orbit in the same plane as the debris disk recently resolved with Herschel. Additionally, it appears to be interior to the debris disk. Though the extent of the inner hole is currently too uncertain to place limits on the mass of HR 2562B, future observations of the disk with higher spatial resolution may be able to provide mass constraints. This is the first brown-dwarf-mass object found to reside in the inner hole of a debris disk, offering the opportunity to search for evidence of formation above the deuterium burning limit in a circumstellar disk.
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Smith, Leigh Charles. "Near-infrared proper motion surveys." Thesis, University of Hertfordshire, 2016. http://hdl.handle.net/2299/17192.
Full textAbstract:
I present the development of two near infrared proper motion pipelines for high resolution near infrared data from UKIDSS and the VISTA VVV survey. The UKIDSS pipeline is capable of accuracies of order 5-10 mas yr⁻¹ for bright sources with the largest epoch baselines (~ 8 years). The VVV pipeline reaches 1-2 mas yr⁻¹ proper motion precision at the bright end and parallax measurements at ~ 1 mas precision. It will be possible to improve upon the VVV astrometric precision due to increases in data volume and further pipeline development. I have used the proper motion pipelines to generate three near infrared proper motion catalogues of the UKIDSS LAS and GPS and the VVV survey. The LAS proper motion catalogue covers 1500 deg2 at high Galactic latitudes and contains approximately 15 million sources with two J band epochs. The GPS proper motion catalogue covers 1500 deg2 of the northern Galactic plane and contains approximately 400 million sources with two K band epochs. The VVV proper motion catalogue covers 560 deg2 of the Galactic bulge and disc and contains approximately 200 million sources with between 50 and 150 Ks band epochs. I have also produced a preliminary 5σ parallax catalogue containing 3403 VVV sources. The LAS and GPS proper motion catalogues have been used by myself and other authors to identify and study many new examples of high proper motion stars, brown dwarfs, ul-tracool dwarf benchmark candidates, cool white dwarfs, substellar subdwarfs and nearby sources within < 25 pc. These catalogues remain far from fully exploited and will be a useful resource for future research by the astronomical community. Exploitation of the VVV proper motion catalogue is still in its infancy, yet it has already generated large numbers of new high proper motion sources. These include new brown dwarf candi-dates, important benchmark objects, and nearby sources which have previously avoided detection. Parallax results from the VVV pipeline will be useful to improve low mass star/ultracool dwarf luminosity functions, significantly increasing the numbers of brown dwarfs with known parallaxes and illustrates how general purpose multi-epoch wide area surveys can generate parallaxes. Finally, I discuss the long term usefulness of such catalogues in the Gaia era and how they might be exploited in the future.
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Bolmont, Emeline. "Evolution et habitabilité de systèmes planétaires autour d’étoiles de faible masse et de naines brunes." Thesis, Bordeaux 1, 2013. http://www.theses.fr/2013BOR14897/document.
Full textAbstract:
La découverte de plus de 900 planètes autour d’autres étoiles que le Soleil rend notre époque excitante. Ces systèmes planétaires nous ont fait changer notre perception du monde qui était jusqu’alors basée sur nos connaissances du système solaire. Certains systèmes détectés sont beaucoup plus compacts que notre système solaire et les planètes se trouvent extrêmement proches de leur étoile. Pour comprendre la structure de ces systèmes et leur évolution, il est important d’étudier les effets de marée.Les missions d’observations des exoplanètes commencent à détecter des planètes de moins en moins massives dans la zone autour d’une étoile appelée zone habitable. La zone habitable est définie comme la plage de distances orbitales pour laquelle une planète ayant une atmosphère peut avoir de l’eau liquide à sa surface. L’étude du climat des exoplanètes, étant donné un flux et un spectre stellaire, est importante pour la caractérisation de l’atmosphère de ces exoplanètes (que JWST sera en mesure de faire).Dans cette thèse, ces problématiques d’évolution dynamique de systèmes planétaires et de climats de planètes sont développées pour le cas de systèmes planétaires orbitant des naines brunes et des étoiles de faible masse dans le but futur de contraindre des paramètres des modèles de marée ou des observations. Dans un premier temps, j’ai traité le cas de l’évolution par effet de marée d’une planète orbitant une naine brune, une naine M ou une étoile de type solaire dont l’évolution du rayon est prise en compte. L’objectif était d’étudier l’influence de la contraction de l’étoile (ou naine brune) sur l’évolution orbitale des planètes. Dans un deuxième temps, j’ai cherché à étudier l’influence des effets de marée sur l’évolution dynamique d’un système multiplanétaire orbitant une naine brune, une naine M ou une étoile de type solaire dont l’évolution du rayon est aussi prise en compte.Ces deux projets permettent d’aborder le problème de l’habitabilité des planètes au- tour de ces objets, en particulier autour des naines brunes qui refroidissent avec le temps. En effet, une planète se trouvant dans la zone habitable d’une naine brune se situe suffisamment proche de la naine brune pour ressentir l’influence des effets de marée. Ainsi, des paramètres importants pour l’étude des climats sont en partie déterminés par les effets de marée – paramètres comme l’excentricité et l’obliquité entre autres. Dans cette thèse, cette problématique est succinctement abordée en vue d’une poursuite en post-doctoratThe discovery of more than 900 planets orbiting other stars than our Sun makes this period very exciting. Our knowledge which was based on the Solar System has been challenged by new planetary systems which are very different from our system. Some of them are much more compact than the Solar System. Some planets are located extremely close-in from their star, within the orbital distance of Mercury, in a region where tidal effects are important. Understanding the structure of the known exoplanetary systems and the future ones requires to take into account the physics of tidal evolution.The missions dedicated to the finding of exoplanets are beginning to detect less massive planets in the habitable zone of their host star. The habitable zone is here defined as the range of orbital distances where a planet with an atmosphere can sustain liquid water at its surface. The study of the climate of exoplanets, given a stellar flux and spectra, is important for the characterization of planetary atmosphere – which JWST will make possible.This thesis provides a study of the dynamical and tidal evolution of planetary systems orbiting evolving brown dwarfs and low mass stars in order to constrain some tidal parameters and in the case of planets around brown dwarfs put some constrains on observability. First, I studied the tidal evolution of single-planet systems orbiting a brown dwarf, a M-dwarf or a Sun-like star whose radius evolution is taken into account. The aim of this study was to study the influence of the contraction of the brown dwarf or star on the orbital evolution of the planets. Second, I endeavored to study the tidal evolution of multiple-planet systems orbiting a brown dwarf, a M-dwarf or a Sun-like star whose radius evolution is also taken into account.These two projects allow me to study the question of the habitability of planets orbiting those objects, in particular orbiting brown dwarfs which are known to cool down with time. A planet orbiting a brown dwarf in its habitable zone is sufficiently close to the brown dwarf to feel tidal effects. So parameters such as the eccentricity or obliquity, which are important for the climate are partially determined by tides. In this thesis, this question is briefly addressed but will be deepened in a future post-doc
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Oppenheimer, Ben R. Kulkarni S. R. "Direct detection of brown dwarf companions of nearby stars /." Diss., Pasadena, Calif. : California Institute of Technology, 1999. http://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechETD:etd-09122006-131150.
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Burgess, Andrew. "Exploration de la fonction de faible masse initiale dans les amas jeunes et les r ´egions de formation stellaire." Phd thesis, Université de Grenoble, 2010. http://tel.archives-ouvertes.fr/tel-00576460.
Full textAbstract:
La détermination de l'extrémité inférieure de la fonction de masse initiale (FMI) prévoit de fortes contraintes sur les théories de la formation des étoiles. IC4665 est un amas d'´étoile jeune (30Myr) et il a situe 356pc de la Terre. L'extinction est Av~ 0.59 ± 0.15 mag. WIRCam Y, J, H et K observations ont été faites par le CFHT et a comprise 10 champs (de 1.1sq.deg totale) et deux zones de contrle de 20'x20' chacun. Diagrammes couleur/magnitude et couleur/couleur ont été utilisées pour comparer les candidats sélectionnées par les modèles BT-SETTL 30 et 50Myr. Les images CH4off et CH4on ont été obtenus avec CFHT/WIRCam plus 0.11 sq.deg. dans IC348. Naines-T ont ensuite été identifiés à partir de leur couleur de 1.69μm d'absorption du méthane et trois candidats nain-T ont été trouvée avec CH4on−CH4 >0.4 mag. Extinction a été estimée à Av~ 5 − 12 mag. Les comparaisons avec les naines-T modèles, et des diagrammes couleur/couleur et magnitude, rejeter 2 entre 3 candidats en raison de leur extrême z′ − J coleur. L'objet reste n'est pas considéré comme un nain avant l'amas en raison d'un argument de densité en nombre ou l'extinction forte Av~ 12 mag, ni d'être un champ de fond nain-T qui serait devrait être beaucoup plus faible. Les modèles et les schémas de donner cet objet un type T6 préliminaires spectrale. Avec un peu de la masse de Jupiter, ce jeune candidat nain-T est potentiellement parmi les plus jeunes, des objets de masse plus faible détectée dans une région de formation d'´étoiles `a ce jour. Sa fréquence est conforme à l'extrapolation du courant lognormal FMI estime `a au domaine de masse planétaire.
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Henry, Todd Jackson. "A systematic search for low-mass companions orbiting nearby stars and the calibration of the end of the stellar main sequence." Diss., The University of Arizona, 1991. http://hdl.handle.net/10150/185689.
Full textAbstract:
We have completed a search for low luminosity companions, including high mass brown dwarfs, to all M dwarfs known within eight parsecs of the sun, and north of -25°. We found six new companions orbiting the survey stars. The masses of the six new secondaries fall between 0.39 and 0.05 M(⊙). Three of the new companions, G208-44B, GL 623B and LHS 1047B, and one previously known secondary in the survey, Ross 614B, are brown dwarf candidates with masses ∼80 Jupiters (0.08 M(⊙)), the dividing line between stars and brown dwarfs. In addition, we provide infrared photometry at J, H and K for all 99 survey members, and spectral types on standard system for half. Analysis of the entire sample indicates that 50% of the stars in the more distant half of the survey volume remain undetected, as is supported by the steadily growing M dwarf census over the last 45 years. The binary fraction of M dwarfs, 30-40%, is lower than that of earlier type main sequence stars, and there are more companions to M dwarfs found between 1 and 10 AU than in any other decade interval. We find that the luminosity function of the lowest mass stars is flat or rising to the end of the main sequence, and that the mass function undoubtedly rises to the stellar/substellar break. We illustrate that the resolution of close binaries is crucial if accurate luminosity and mass functions are to be determined. Finally, we estimate 0.02 M(⊙)/pc³ to be the amount of mass contributed by M dwarfs to the galactic mass. Based upon new mass-luminosity relations developed at infrared wavelengths using a sample of stars with well-determined masses between 1.2 and 0.08 M(⊙), we are able to define empirically the end of the main sequence. We present absolute magnitudes, colors and spectral types for objects at the theoretical lowest stellar mass. Using these relations, we conclude that a few brown dwarfs may have already been discovered. (Abstract shortened with permission of author.)
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Liebert, J., R. A. Saffer, and C. A. Pilachowski. "High Dispersion Observations of H alpha in the Suspected Brown Dwarf, White Dwarf Binary System G29-38." Steward Observatory, The University of Arizona (Tucson, Arizona), 1988. http://hdl.handle.net/10150/623899.
Full textAbstract:
We report on high dispersion spectroscopy of the Ha absorption line of
the cool DA white dwarf G 29 -38. This is the star for which a recently detected
infrared excess has been suggested to be due to a possible brown dwarf companion by
Zuckerman and Becklin (1986, 1987). Three echelle spectra obtained at the Multiple
Mirror Telescope and at the Kitt Peak Mayall 4m telescope in 1987 December show
no evidence for radial velocity variations larger than -'1.1 ± 8.7 km s -1 and are used
to derive a weighted heliocentric radial velocity Vr = 33.7 ± 4.3 km s -1 for the white
dwarf. No emission component from the hypothesized secondary star is detected.
These negative results do not constitute strong evidence against the companion
hypothesis, since the expected orbital velocity of the white dwarf component could
be quite small, and the companion's line emission could be too faint to be detected.
However, the observation of a sharp absorption line core restricts the possible rotation
of the white dwarf to < 40 km s -1 and ensures that any surface magnetic field has
a strength < 105 gauss. These results make it unlikely that the DA white dwarf
has previously been in a cataclysmic variable accretion phase.
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Saffer, R. A., and J. Liebert. "Search for Close Binary Evolved Stars." Steward Observatory, The University of Arizona (Tucson, Arizona), 1988. http://hdl.handle.net/10150/623897.
Full textAbstract:
We report on a search for short -period binary systems composed of pairs of
evolved stars. The search is being carried out concurrently with a program to characterize
the kinematical properties of two different samples of stars. Each sample has produced one
close binary candidate for which further spectroscopic observations are planned. We also
recapitulate the discovery of a close detached binary system composed of two cool DA
white dwarfs, and we discuss the null results of Ha observations of the suspected white
dwarf /brown dwarf system G 29-38.
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Bouy, Herve. "Fundamental Properties of very low mass star and brown dwarf binaries." Diss., lmu, 2004. http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:19-26541.
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Bouy, Hervé. "Fundamental properties of very low mass star and brown dwarf binaries." Université Joseph Fourier (Grenoble), 2004. http://www.theses.fr/2004GRE10096.
Full textAbstract:
Ce travail présente les résultats d'une étude détaillée des propriétés statistiques et physiques des binaires de naines brunes et ultra-froides (type spectral plus tardif que M7). Concernant les propriétés statistiques, nous constatons que la fréquence de binaires parmi les objets ultra-froids est inférieure a celle des objets de types spectraux plus precoces, avec une limite inférieure à 10-15% pour les objets du champ, et <10% dans l'amas ouvert des Pleiades. Alors que nous étions capables d'identifier les systèmes binaires jusqu'a des séparations de 100 U. A, nous n'avons trouvé aucun système mutliple aux séparations superieures a 20U. A. A plus grande séparation encore, aucune binaire n'a été trouvée par les surveys 2MASS, DENIS ou SDSS. La distribution des séparations est semblable à celle des naines F et G (gaussienne), mais avec un maximum autour de 4-8 U. A. Bien que nous étions sensibles aux binaires avec des rapports de masse allant jusqu'a 0. 6, nous n'avons detecte aucune binaire avec un rapport de masse inferieur a 0. 6; la plupart des objets ayant un rapport de masse plus grand que 0,85. Ce résultat devra être confirmé par d'autres études sur des échantillons mieux definis statistiquement. Bien que l'échantillon de binaires connues dans les Pleiades soit trop petit pour nous permettre de faire une analyse semblable, nous obervons que la fréquence de binaires, les distributions de rapport de masse et de séparations sont semblables, indiquant que les propriétés des naines brunes binaires ne dépendent probablement pas de l'âge et de l'environnement passe 125 millions d'annees. Enfin, bien que nous n'ayons pas eu l'occasion de pouvoir mener une etude statistique similaire dans une region de formation stellaire, nous presentons la première détection d'une jeune naine brune binaire entouree d'un disque dans la region de la Couronne Australe (R-CrA). Ces résultats apportent de fortes contraintes sur les modèles de formation et d'évolution. La fréquence de binaires n'est actuellement reproduite correctement par aucun des modèles. Les modèles d'éjection pourraient expliquer le manque de binaires aux separations superieures a 20 U. A ainsi que le manque apparent de systèmes de faibles rapports de masses, mais elle prévoit une fréquence de binaires beaucoup trop faible. Le modele prevoyant que les naines brunes se forment d'une maniere analogue aux etoiles pourrait quant a lui reproduire la fréquence de binaires que nous observons, mais ne pourrait pas expliquer les distributions de rapport de séparation et de masse. Plus d'efforts sont donc necessaires a la fois du côté théorique afin de pouvoir expliquer les propriétés observées, et du côté observationnel pour apporter des contraintes nouvelles et plus precises. Concernant les propriétés physiques des binaires de naines ultra-froides, nos observations ont mene à la découverte d'une binaire de naines L de courte periode. Les observations à haute résolution angulaire réparties sur quatre ans nous ont permis de suivre le compagnon sur 60% de son orbite. Pour la première fois, nous avons pu calculer les paramètres orbitaux et la masse totale d'un objet de ce type. A moyen terme, ce genre de mesures devraient nous permettre de calibrer la très importante relation masse-luminosite. En utilisant la spectroscopie a haute résolution angulaire, nous avons ete en mesure de separer les spectres des composantes individuelles de quatres binaires de naines ultra-froides, et de calculer leurs types spectraux. Deux de ces binaries ont des compagnons de types spectraux relativement plus tardifs que leurs primaires (3 et 4 sous-classes spectrales de plus), nous permettant de comparer l'evolution de leurs temperatures effectives et leurs atmospheres. Enfin, utilisant nos images a haute résolution angulaire, nous avons détecte une possible troisième composante dans une des binaries de notre échantillonThis work presents the results of a detailed study of the statistical and physical properties of binary ultracool dwarfs and brown dwarfs (spectral type later than M7). As for the statistical properties, we found that the frequency of binaries among ultracool objects is significantly lower than for earlier type objects, with a lower limit at 10-15% in the field, and <10% in the Pleiades Open cluster. While we were sensitive to systems with separations up to 100A. U, we did not find any multiple system with separation greater than 20A. U. At even larger separations, no wide binaries were reported by the all sky surveys such as 2MASS, DENIS or SDSS. The distribution of separations looks similar to that of F and G dwarfs (Gaussian), but with a peak at 4-8 A. U. Although we were sensitive to mass ratios down to 0. 65, we found most of the objects to have mass ratios larger than 0. 85. This latter result needs to be confirmed by further statistical studies on well defined statistical samples. Although the sample of known binaries in the Pleiades is too small for a similar analysis, we note that the binary frequency, the distributions of mass ratio and separations are similar, indicating that the properties of binary brown dwarfs might not depend on the age and environment after 125 Myr. Finally, although we did not have the opportunity to perform a similar statistical study in a star forming region, we report the first detection of a young binary brown dwarf with a disk in the R-CrA association. These results provide strong constraints on the models of ultracool dwarf formation and evolution. The binary frequency is currently not reproduced by any of these models. The models of ejection could explain the lack of binaries wider than 20 A. U and the apparent preference for equal mass systems, but they predict a much lower binary frequency. The model assuming that brown dwarfs form in a smilar way than stars could reproduce the binary frequency we observe, but could not explain the distributions of separation and mass ratio. More efforts are required on the theoretical side in order to better explain the observed properties, and on the observational side to give new and improved constraints. As for the physical properties, our observations lead to the discovery of a short period binary L dwarf. Observations at high angular resolution spread over 4 years allowed us to follow the companion on 60% of its orbit. For the first time, we were then able to compute the orbital parameters and total mass of such a very low mass object. In the near future, similar studies should enable us to calibrate brown dwarf mass and luminosity models. Using high angular resolution spectroscopy, we were able to disentangle the spectra of the individual components of 4 binary ultracool dwarfs and to compute their spectral types. Two binaries have companions with spectral types significantly later than their primary (by 3 to 4 spectral subclasses), allowing us to compare the evolution of their effective temperature and atmosphere. Finally, using our high angular resolution images, we were able to detect a possible third component in one of the binaries of our sample