The Astronomical Journal (Jan 2024)
VLTI/GRAVITY Provides Evidence the Young, Substellar Companion HD 136164 Ab Formed Like a “Failed Star”
- William O. Balmer,
- L. Pueyo,
- S. Lacour,
- J. J. Wang,
- T. Stolker,
- J. Kammerer,
- N. Pourré,
- M. Nowak,
- E. Rickman,
- S. Blunt,
- A. Sivaramakrishnan,
- D. Sing,
- K. Wagner,
- G.-D. Marleau,
- A.-M. Lagrange,
- R. Abuter,
- A. Amorim,
- R. Asensio-Torres,
- J.-P. Berger,
- H. Beust,
- A. Boccaletti,
- A. Bohn,
- M. Bonnefoy,
- H. Bonnet,
- M. S. Bordoni,
- G. Bourdarot,
- W. Brandner,
- F. Cantalloube,
- P. Caselli,
- B. Charnay,
- G. Chauvin,
- A. Chavez,
- E. Choquet,
- V. Christiaens,
- Y. Clénet,
- V. Coudé du Foresto,
- A. Cridland,
- R. Davies,
- R. Dembet,
- A. Drescher,
- G. Duvert,
- A. Eckart,
- F. Eisenhauer,
- N. M. Förster Schreiber,
- P. Garcia,
- R. Garcia Lopez,
- E. Gendron,
- R. Genzel,
- S. Gillessen,
- J. H. Girard,
- S. Grant,
- X. Haubois,
- G. Heißel,
- Th. Henning,
- S. Hinkley,
- S. Hippler,
- M. Houllé,
- Z. Hubert,
- L. Jocou,
- M. Keppler,
- P. Kervella,
- L. Kreidberg,
- N. T. Kurtovic,
- V. Lapeyrère,
- J.-B. Le Bouquin,
- P. Léna,
- D. Lutz,
- A.-L. Maire,
- F. Mang,
- A. Mérand,
- P. Mollière,
- C. Mordasini,
- D. Mouillet,
- E. Nasedkin,
- T. Ott,
- G. P. P. L. Otten,
- C. Paladini,
- T. Paumard,
- K. Perraut,
- G. Perrin,
- O. Pfuhl,
- D. C. Ribeiro,
- L. Rodet,
- Z. Rustamkulov,
- J. Shangguan,
- T. Shimizu,
- C. Straubmeier,
- E. Sturm,
- L. J. Tacconi,
- A. Vigan,
- F. Vincent,
- K. Ward-Duong,
- F. Widmann,
- T. Winterhalder,
- J. Woillez,
- S. Yazici,
- the GRAVITY Collaboration
Affiliations
- William O. Balmer
- ORCiD
- Department of Physics & Astronomy, Johns Hopkins University , 3400 N. Charles Street, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA ; [email protected]; Space Telescope Science Institute, 3700 San Martin Drive, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
- L. Pueyo
- Space Telescope Science Institute, 3700 San Martin Drive, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
- S. Lacour
- ORCiD
- LESIA, Observatoire de Paris, PSL, CNRS, Sorbonne Université , Université de Paris, 5 Place Janssen, F-92195 Meudon, France; European Southern Observatory , Karl-Schwarzschild-Straße 2, D-85748 Garching, Germany
- J. J. Wang
- ORCiD
- Center for Interdisciplinary Exploration and Research in Astrophysics (CIERA) and Department of Physics and Astronomy, Northwestern University , Evanston, IL 60208, USA
- T. Stolker
- ORCiD
- Leiden Observatory, Leiden University , P.O. Box 9513, 2300 RA Leiden, The Netherlands
- J. Kammerer
- Space Telescope Science Institute, 3700 San Martin Drive, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
- N. Pourré
- Université Grenoble Alpes , CNRS, IPAG, F-38000 Grenoble, France
- M. Nowak
- ORCiD
- Institute of Astronomy, University of Cambridge , Madingley Road, Cambridge CB3 0HA, UK
- E. Rickman
- ORCiD
- European Space Agency (ESA), ESA Office, Space Telescope Science Institute , 3700 San Martin Drive, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
- S. Blunt
- Center for Interdisciplinary Exploration and Research in Astrophysics (CIERA) and Department of Physics and Astronomy, Northwestern University , Evanston, IL 60208, USA
- A. Sivaramakrishnan
- ORCiD
- Department of Physics & Astronomy, Johns Hopkins University , 3400 N. Charles Street, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA ; [email protected]; Space Telescope Science Institute, 3700 San Martin Drive, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
- D. Sing
- ORCiD
- Department of Physics & Astronomy, Johns Hopkins University , 3400 N. Charles Street, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA ; [email protected]; Department of Earth & Planetary Sciences, Johns Hopkins University , Baltimore, MD, USA
- K. Wagner
- Department of Astronomy and Steward Observatory, University of Arizona , 933 N Cherry Avenue, Tucson, AZ 85712, USA
- G.-D. Marleau
- Fakultät für Physik, Universität Duisburg-Essen , Lotharstraße 1, D-47057 Duisburg, Germany; Institüt für Astronomie und Astrophysik, Universität Tübingen , Auf der Morgenstelle 10, D-72076 Tübingen, Germany; Center for Space and Habitability, Universität Bern , Gesellschaftsstrasse 6, 3012 Bern, Switzerland; Max Planck Institute for Astronomy , Königstuhl 17, D-69117 Heidelberg, Germany
- A.-M. Lagrange
- LESIA, Observatoire de Paris, PSL, CNRS, Sorbonne Université , Université de Paris, 5 Place Janssen, F-92195 Meudon, France; Université Grenoble Alpes , CNRS, IPAG, F-38000 Grenoble, France
- R. Abuter
- European Southern Observatory , Karl-Schwarzschild-Straße 2, D-85748 Garching, Germany
- A. Amorim
- Universidade de Lisboa—Faculdade de Ciências , Campo Grande, 1749-016 Lisboa, Portugal; CENTRA—Centro de Astrofísica e Gravitação, IST, Universidade de Lisboa , 1049-001 Lisboa, Portugal
- R. Asensio-Torres
- ORCiD
- Max Planck Institute for Astronomy , Königstuhl 17, D-69117 Heidelberg, Germany
- J.-P. Berger
- Université Grenoble Alpes , CNRS, IPAG, F-38000 Grenoble, France
- H. Beust
- Université Grenoble Alpes , CNRS, IPAG, F-38000 Grenoble, France
- A. Boccaletti
- LESIA, Observatoire de Paris, PSL, CNRS, Sorbonne Université , Université de Paris, 5 Place Janssen, F-92195 Meudon, France
- A. Bohn
- ORCiD
- Leiden Observatory, Leiden University , P.O. Box 9513, 2300 RA Leiden, The Netherlands
- M. Bonnefoy
- ORCiD
- Université Grenoble Alpes , CNRS, IPAG, F-38000 Grenoble, France
- H. Bonnet
- European Southern Observatory , Karl-Schwarzschild-Straße 2, D-85748 Garching, Germany
- M. S. Bordoni
- Max Planck Institute for extraterrestrial Physics , Giessenbachstraße 1, D-85748 Garching, Germany
- G. Bourdarot
- Max Planck Institute for extraterrestrial Physics , Giessenbachstraße 1, D-85748 Garching, Germany
- W. Brandner
- ORCiD
- Max Planck Institute for Astronomy , Königstuhl 17, D-69117 Heidelberg, Germany
- F. Cantalloube
- ORCiD
- Aix Marseille University , CNRS, CNES, LAM, Marseille, France
- P. Caselli
- ORCiD
- Max Planck Institute for extraterrestrial Physics , Giessenbachstraße 1, D-85748 Garching, Germany
- B. Charnay
- ORCiD
- LESIA, Observatoire de Paris, PSL, CNRS, Sorbonne Université , Université de Paris, 5 Place Janssen, F-92195 Meudon, France
- G. Chauvin
- Université Grenoble Alpes , CNRS, IPAG, F-38000 Grenoble, France
- A. Chavez
- Center for Interdisciplinary Exploration and Research in Astrophysics (CIERA) and Department of Physics and Astronomy, Northwestern University , Evanston, IL 60208, USA
- E. Choquet
- Aix Marseille University , CNRS, CNES, LAM, Marseille, France
- V. Christiaens
- ORCiD
- STAR Institute/Université de Liège , Belgium
- Y. Clénet
- ORCiD
- LESIA, Observatoire de Paris, PSL, CNRS, Sorbonne Université , Université de Paris, 5 Place Janssen, F-92195 Meudon, France
- V. Coudé du Foresto
- ORCiD
- LESIA, Observatoire de Paris, PSL, CNRS, Sorbonne Université , Université de Paris, 5 Place Janssen, F-92195 Meudon, France
- A. Cridland
- Leiden Observatory, Leiden University , P.O. Box 9513, 2300 RA Leiden, The Netherlands
- R. Davies
- ORCiD
- Max Planck Institute for extraterrestrial Physics , Giessenbachstraße 1, D-85748 Garching, Germany
- R. Dembet
- LESIA, Observatoire de Paris, PSL, CNRS, Sorbonne Université , Université de Paris, 5 Place Janssen, F-92195 Meudon, France
- A. Drescher
- Max Planck Institute for extraterrestrial Physics , Giessenbachstraße 1, D-85748 Garching, Germany
- G. Duvert
- Université Grenoble Alpes , CNRS, IPAG, F-38000 Grenoble, France
- A. Eckart
- ORCiD
- Institute of Physics, University of Cologne , Zülpicher Straße 77, D-50937 Cologne, Germany; Max Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy , Auf dem Hügel 69, D-53121 Bonn, Germany
- F. Eisenhauer
- Max Planck Institute for extraterrestrial Physics , Giessenbachstraße 1, D-85748 Garching, Germany
- N. M. Förster Schreiber
- Max Planck Institute for extraterrestrial Physics , Giessenbachstraße 1, D-85748 Garching, Germany
- P. Garcia
- CENTRA—Centro de Astrofísica e Gravitação, IST, Universidade de Lisboa , 1049-001 Lisboa, Portugal; Universidade do Porto , Faculdade de Engenharia, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
- R. Garcia Lopez
- Max Planck Institute for Astronomy , Königstuhl 17, D-69117 Heidelberg, Germany; School of Physics, University College Dublin , Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland
- E. Gendron
- LESIA, Observatoire de Paris, PSL, CNRS, Sorbonne Université , Université de Paris, 5 Place Janssen, F-92195 Meudon, France
- R. Genzel
- ORCiD
- Max Planck Institute for extraterrestrial Physics , Giessenbachstraße 1, D-85748 Garching, Germany
- S. Gillessen
- ORCiD
- Max Planck Institute for extraterrestrial Physics , Giessenbachstraße 1, D-85748 Garching, Germany
- J. H. Girard
- ORCiD
- Space Telescope Science Institute, 3700 San Martin Drive, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
- S. Grant
- ORCiD
- Max Planck Institute for extraterrestrial Physics , Giessenbachstraße 1, D-85748 Garching, Germany
- X. Haubois
- European Southern Observatory , Casilla 19001, Santiago 19, Chile
- G. Heißel
- LESIA, Observatoire de Paris, PSL, CNRS, Sorbonne Université , Université de Paris, 5 Place Janssen, F-92195 Meudon, France; Advanced Concepts Team, European Space Agency , TEC-SF, ESTEC, Keplerlaan 1, NL-2201, AZ Noordwijk, The Netherlands
- Th. Henning
- ORCiD
- Max Planck Institute for Astronomy , Königstuhl 17, D-69117 Heidelberg, Germany
- S. Hinkley
- University of Exeter , Physics Building, Stocker Road, Exeter EX4 4QL, UK
- S. Hippler
- ORCiD
- Max Planck Institute for Astronomy , Königstuhl 17, D-69117 Heidelberg, Germany
- M. Houllé
- Université Côte d’Azur , Observatoire de la Côte d’Azur, CNRS, Laboratoire Lagrange, France
- Z. Hubert
- Université Grenoble Alpes , CNRS, IPAG, F-38000 Grenoble, France
- L. Jocou
- Université Grenoble Alpes , CNRS, IPAG, F-38000 Grenoble, France
- M. Keppler
- Max Planck Institute for Astronomy , Königstuhl 17, D-69117 Heidelberg, Germany
- P. Kervella
- ORCiD
- LESIA, Observatoire de Paris, PSL, CNRS, Sorbonne Université , Université de Paris, 5 Place Janssen, F-92195 Meudon, France
- L. Kreidberg
- ORCiD
- Max Planck Institute for Astronomy , Königstuhl 17, D-69117 Heidelberg, Germany
- N. T. Kurtovic
- Max Planck Institute for extraterrestrial Physics , Giessenbachstraße 1, D-85748 Garching, Germany
- V. Lapeyrère
- LESIA, Observatoire de Paris, PSL, CNRS, Sorbonne Université , Université de Paris, 5 Place Janssen, F-92195 Meudon, France
- J.-B. Le Bouquin
- Université Grenoble Alpes , CNRS, IPAG, F-38000 Grenoble, France
- P. Léna
- LESIA, Observatoire de Paris, PSL, CNRS, Sorbonne Université , Université de Paris, 5 Place Janssen, F-92195 Meudon, France
- D. Lutz
- ORCiD
- Max Planck Institute for extraterrestrial Physics , Giessenbachstraße 1, D-85748 Garching, Germany
- A.-L. Maire
- Université Grenoble Alpes , CNRS, IPAG, F-38000 Grenoble, France
- F. Mang
- Max Planck Institute for extraterrestrial Physics , Giessenbachstraße 1, D-85748 Garching, Germany
- A. Mérand
- ORCiD
- European Southern Observatory , Karl-Schwarzschild-Straße 2, D-85748 Garching, Germany
- P. Mollière
- ORCiD
- Max Planck Institute for Astronomy , Königstuhl 17, D-69117 Heidelberg, Germany
- C. Mordasini
- ORCiD
- Center for Space and Habitability, Universität Bern , Gesellschaftsstrasse 6, 3012 Bern, Switzerland
- D. Mouillet
- Université Grenoble Alpes , CNRS, IPAG, F-38000 Grenoble, France
- E. Nasedkin
- Max Planck Institute for Astronomy , Königstuhl 17, D-69117 Heidelberg, Germany
- T. Ott
- ORCiD
- Max Planck Institute for extraterrestrial Physics , Giessenbachstraße 1, D-85748 Garching, Germany
- G. P. P. L. Otten
- Academia Sinica, Institute of Astronomy and Astrophysics , 11F Astronomy-Mathematics Building, NTU/AS campus, No. 1, Section 4, Roosevelt Road, Taipei 10617, Taiwan
- C. Paladini
- European Southern Observatory , Casilla 19001, Santiago 19, Chile
- T. Paumard
- ORCiD
- LESIA, Observatoire de Paris, PSL, CNRS, Sorbonne Université , Université de Paris, 5 Place Janssen, F-92195 Meudon, France
- K. Perraut
- Université Grenoble Alpes , CNRS, IPAG, F-38000 Grenoble, France
- G. Perrin
- ORCiD
- LESIA, Observatoire de Paris, PSL, CNRS, Sorbonne Université , Université de Paris, 5 Place Janssen, F-92195 Meudon, France
- O. Pfuhl
- European Southern Observatory , Karl-Schwarzschild-Straße 2, D-85748 Garching, Germany
- D. C. Ribeiro
- Max Planck Institute for extraterrestrial Physics , Giessenbachstraße 1, D-85748 Garching, Germany
- L. Rodet
- ORCiD
- Center for Astrophysics and Planetary Science, Department of Astronomy, Cornell University , Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
- Z. Rustamkulov
- ORCiD
- Department of Earth & Planetary Sciences, Johns Hopkins University , Baltimore, MD, USA
- J. Shangguan
- ORCiD
- Max Planck Institute for extraterrestrial Physics , Giessenbachstraße 1, D-85748 Garching, Germany
- T. Shimizu
- ORCiD
- Max Planck Institute for extraterrestrial Physics , Giessenbachstraße 1, D-85748 Garching, Germany
- C. Straubmeier
- ORCiD
- Institute of Physics, University of Cologne , Zülpicher Straße 77, D-50937 Cologne, Germany
- E. Sturm
- ORCiD
- Max Planck Institute for extraterrestrial Physics , Giessenbachstraße 1, D-85748 Garching, Germany
- L. J. Tacconi
- ORCiD
- Max Planck Institute for extraterrestrial Physics , Giessenbachstraße 1, D-85748 Garching, Germany
- A. Vigan
- ORCiD
- Aix Marseille University , CNRS, CNES, LAM, Marseille, France
- F. Vincent
- ORCiD
- LESIA, Observatoire de Paris, PSL, CNRS, Sorbonne Université , Université de Paris, 5 Place Janssen, F-92195 Meudon, France
- K. Ward-Duong
- ORCiD
- Department of Astronomy, Smith College , Northampton, MA 01063, USA
- F. Widmann
- Max Planck Institute for extraterrestrial Physics , Giessenbachstraße 1, D-85748 Garching, Germany
- T. Winterhalder
- European Southern Observatory , Karl-Schwarzschild-Straße 2, D-85748 Garching, Germany
- J. Woillez
- ORCiD
- European Southern Observatory , Karl-Schwarzschild-Straße 2, D-85748 Garching, Germany
- S. Yazici
- Max Planck Institute for extraterrestrial Physics , Giessenbachstraße 1, D-85748 Garching, Germany
- the GRAVITY Collaboration
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-3881/ad1689
- Journal volume & issue
-
Vol. 167,
no. 2
p. 64
Abstract
Young, low-mass brown dwarfs orbiting early-type stars, with low mass ratios ( q ≲ 0.01), appear to be intrinsically rare and present a formation dilemma: could a handful of these objects be the highest-mass outcomes of “planetary” formation channels (bottom up within a protoplanetary disk), or are they more representative of the lowest-mass “failed binaries” (formed via disk fragmentation or core fragmentation)? Additionally, their orbits can yield model-independent dynamical masses, and when paired with wide wavelength coverage and accurate system age estimates, can constrain evolutionary models in a regime where the models have a wide dispersion depending on the initial conditions. We present new interferometric observations of the 16 Myr substellar companion HD 136164 Ab (HIP 75056 Ab) made with the Very Large Telescope Interferometer (VLTI)/GRAVITY and an updated orbit fit including proper motion measurements from the Hipparcos–Gaia Catalog of Accelerations. We estimate a dynamical mass of 35 ± 10 M _J ( q ∼ 0.02), making HD 136164 Ab the youngest substellar companion with a dynamical mass estimate. The new mass and newly constrained orbital eccentricity ( e = 0.44 ± 0.03) and separation (22.5 ± 1 au) could indicate that the companion formed via the low-mass tail of the initial mass function. Our atmospheric fit to a SPHINX M-dwarf model grid suggests a subsolar C/O ratio of 0.45 and 3 × solar metallicity, which could indicate formation in a circumstellar disk via disk fragmentation. Either way, the revised mass estimate likely excludes bottom-up formation via core accretion in a circumstellar disk. HD 136164 Ab joins a select group of young substellar objects with dynamical mass estimates; epoch astrometry from future Gaia data releases will constrain the dynamical mass of this crucial object further.
Keywords
