skip to main content
Explore Scholarly Publications and Datasets in the NSF-PAR

Title: THE STRONGEST MAGNETIC FIELDS ON THE COOLEST BROWN DWARFS
We have used the Jansky VLA to observe a sample of 5 known aurorally emitting late L and T dwarfs ranging in age from 0.2-3.4 Gyr. We observed each target for seven hours, extending to higher frequencies than previously attempted for objects in this sample. We establish proportionally higher limits on maximum surface magnetic field strengths while simultaneously placing constraints on rotation periods through detections of repeating pulses. Observations at 8{12 GHz yield measurements of 3.7{4.1 kG localized field strengths (corresponding to minimum mean surface fields between 2.7{2.9 kG) on four of our targets, including the archetypal cloud variable T2.5 dwarf SIMP J01365663+0933473 recently proposed to be a possible planetary-mass object in the Carina-Near moving group. We detect a circularly polarized radio pulse at 15{16.5 GHz for the T6.5 dwarf 2MASS 10475385+2124234, corresponding to a localized 5.6 kG field strength and minimum mean surface field of 4.0 kG. For the same object, we also tentatively detect a circularly polarized radio pulse at 16.5{18 GHz corresponding to a localized 6.2 kG field strength and minimum mean surface field of 4.4 kG. We measure rotation periods between 1.44-2.88 hr for all targets, supporting i) the emerging consensus in convective dynamo models that rapid more » rotation may be important for producing strong dipole fields and/or ii) rapid rotation is a key ingredient for driving the current systems powering auroral radio emission. We do not detect a clear cutoff in the pulsed emission for any targets, which would correspond to a maximum local surface magnetic field strength. However, we do observe evidence of variable structure in the frequency-dependent timeseries of our targets on timescales shorter than a rotation period, suggesting a higher degree of variability in the current systems near the surfaces of brown dwarfs, where emission at the highest frequencies are expected to probe. Finally, we find that old brown dwarfs may generate fields as strong as young brown dwarfs. « less
Authors:
Award ID(s):
1654815
Publication Date:
NSF-PAR ID:
10051226
Journal Name:
Astrophysical journal
ISSN:
1538-4357
Sponsoring Org:
National Science Foundation
More Like this
  1. ( , Astrophysical journal)
    As an initial pilot study of magnetism in Y dwarfs, we have observed the three known IR variable Y dwarfs WISE J085510.83-071442.5, WISE J140518.40+553421.4, and WISEP J173835.53+273258.9 with the Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array (VLA) from 4-8 GHz to investigate the presence of quiescent radio emission as a proxy for highly circularly polarized radio emission associated with large-scale auroral currents. Measurements of magnetic fields on Y dwarfs, currently only possible by observing auroral radio emission, are essential for constraining fully convective magnetic dynamo models. We do not detect any pulsed or quiescent radio emission, down to rms noise levels of 7.2 uJy for WISE J085510.83-071442.5, 2.2 uJy for WISE J140518.40+553421.4, and 3.2 uJy for WISEP J173835.53+273258.9. The fractional detection rate of radio emission from T dwarfs is <10% and suggests that a much larger sample of deep observations of Y dwarfs is needed to rule out radio emission in the Y dwarf population. The significance of a single detection provides strong motivation for such a search.
  2. ; ; ; ( , The Astrophysical Journal)
    Abstract

    Detection of low-frequency (≤1.4 GHz) radio emission from stellar and planetary systems can lead to new insights into stellar activity, extrasolar space weather, and planetary magnetic fields. In this work, we investigate three large field-of-view surveys at 74 MHz, 150 MHz, and 1.4 GHz, as well as a myriad of multiwavelength ancillary data, to search for radio emission from about 2600 stellar objects, including about 800 exoplanetary systems, 600 nearby low-mass stars, and 1200 young stellar objects located in the Taurus and Upper Scorpius star-forming regions. The selected sample encompasses stellar spectral types from B to L and distances between 5 and 300 pc. We report the redetection of five stars at 1.4 GHz, one of which also shows emission at 150 MHz. Four of these are low- and intermediate-mass young stars, and one is the evolved starαSco. We also observe radio emission at the position of a young brown dwarf at 1.4 GHz and 150 MHz. However, due to the large astrometric uncertainty of radio observations, a follow-up study at higher angular resolution would be required to confirm whether the observed emission originates from the brown dwarf itself or a background object. Notably, all of the selected radiomore »sources are located in nearby star-forming regions. Furthermore, we use image stacking and statistical methods to derive upper limits on the average quiescent radio luminosity of the families of objects under investigation. These analyses provide observational constraints for large-scale searches for current and ongoing low-frequency radio emissions from stars and planets.

    « less
  3. ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ( , Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society)
    ABSTRACT

    Solar radio emission at low frequencies (<1 GHz) can provide valuable information on processes driving flares and coronal mass ejections (CMEs). Radio emission has been detected from active M dwarf stars, suggestive of much higher levels of activity than previously thought. Observations of active M dwarfs at low frequencies can provide information on the emission mechanism for high energy flares and possible stellar CMEs. Here, we conducted two observations with the Australian Square Kilometre Array Pathfinder Telescope totalling 26 h and scheduled to overlap with the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite Sector 36 field, utilizing the wide fields of view of both telescopes to search for multiple M dwarfs. We detected variable radio emission in Stokes I centred at 888 MHz from four known active M dwarfs. Two of these sources were also detected with Stokes V circular polarization. When examining the detected radio emission characteristics, we were not able to distinguish between the models for either electron cyclotron maser or gyrosynchrotron emission. These detections add to the growing number of M dwarfs observed with variable low-frequency emission.

  4. ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; et al ( , Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society)
    ABSTRACT In this paper, we present the analysis of incoherent non-thermal radio emission from a sample of hot magnetic stars, ranging from early-B to early-A spectral type. Spanning a wide range of stellar parameters and wind properties, these stars display a commonality in their radio emission which presents new challenges to the wind scenario as originally conceived. It was thought that relativistic electrons, responsible for the radio emission, originate in current sheets formed, where the wind opens the magnetic field lines. However, the true mass-loss rates from the cooler stars are too small to explain the observed non-thermal broad-band radio spectra. Instead, we suggest the existence of a radiation belt located inside the inner magnetosphere, similar to that of Jupiter. Such a structure explains the overall indifference of the broad-band radio emissions on wind mass-loss rates. Further, correlating the radio luminosities from a larger sample of magnetic stars with their stellar parameters, the combined roles of rotation and magnetic properties have been empirically determined. Finally, our sample of early-type magnetic stars suggests a scaling relationship between the non-thermal radio luminosity and the electric voltage induced by the magnetosphere’s co-rotation, which appears to hold for a broader range of stellar typesmore »with dipole-dominated magnetospheres (like the cases of the planet Jupiter and the ultracool dwarf stars and brown dwarfs). We conclude that well-ordered and stable rotating magnetospheres share a common physical mechanism for supporting the generation of non-thermal electrons.« less
  5. ; ; ; ( , The Astrophysical Journal)
    Abstract

    The surfaces of neutron stars are sources of strongly polarized soft X-rays due to the presence of strong magnetic fields. Radiative transfer mediated by electron scattering and free–free absorption is central to defining local surface anisotropy and polarization signatures. Scattering transport is strongly influenced by the complicated interplay between linear and circular polarizations. This complexity has been captured in a sophisticated magnetic Thomson scattering simulation we recently developed to model the outer layers of fully ionized atmospheres in such compact objects, heretofore focusing on case studies of localized surface regions. Yet, the interpretation of observed intensity pulse profiles and their efficacy in constraining key neutron star geometry parameters is critically dependent upon adding up emission from extended surface regions. In this paper, intensity, anisotropy, and polarization characteristics from such extended atmospheres, spanning considerable ranges of magnetic colatitudes, are determined using our transport simulation. These constitute a convolution of varied properties of Stokes parameter information at disparate surface locales with different magnetic field strengths and directions relative to the local zenith. Our analysis includes full general relativistic propagation of light from the surface to an observer at infinity. The array of pulse profiles for intensity and polarization presented highlights howmore »powerful probes of stellar geometry are possible. Significant phase-resolved polarization degrees in the range of 10%–60% are realized when summing over a variety of surface field directions. These results provide an important background for observations to be acquired by NASA’s new Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer X-ray polarimetry mission.

    « less
  • Citation Formats
  • MLA
  • APA
  • Chicago
  • BibTeX
  • Save / Share this Record
  • Send to Email