EPJ Web of Conferences (Jul 2011)

Direct imaging and new technologies to search for substellar companions around MGs cool dwarfs

  • Burningham B.,
  • Pérez A.E. García,
  • Jenkins J.S.,
  • Folkes S.L.,
  • Pinfield D.J.,
  • Clarke J.R.A.,
  • Gálvez-Ortiz M.C.,
  • Day-Jones A.C.,
  • Jones H.R.A.

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1051/epjconf/20111603007
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 16
p. 03007

Abstract

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We describe here our project based in a search for sub-stellar companions (brown dwarfs and exo-planets) around young ultra-cool dwarfs (UCDs) and characterise their properties. We will use current and future technology (high contrast imaging, high-precision Doppler determinations) from the ground and space (VLT, ELT and JWST), to find companions to young objects. Members of young moving groups (MGs) have clear advantages in this field. We compiled a catalogue of young UCD objects and studied their membership to five known young moving groups: Local Association (Pleiades moving group, 20–150 Myr), Ursa Mayor group (Sirius supercluster, 300 Myr), Hyades supercluster (600 Myr), IC 2391 supercluster (35 Myr) and Castor moving group (200 Myr). To assess them as members we used different kinematic and spectroscopic criteria.