Bibcode
Murray, D. N.; Burningham, B.; Jones, H. R. A.; Pinfield, D. J.; Lucas, P. W.; Leggett, S. K.; Tinney, C. G.; Day-Jones, A. C.; Weights, D. J.; Lodieu, N.; Pérez-Prieto, J. A.; Nickson, E.; Zhang, Z. H.; Clarke, J. R. A.; Jenkins, J. S.; Tamura, M.
Bibliographical reference
Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, Volume 414, Issue 1, pp. 575-586.
Advertised on:
6
2011
Citations
46
Refereed citations
44
Description
We have used blue near-infrared colours to select a group of 12
spectroscopically confirmed United Kingdom InfraRed Telescope (UKIRT)
Infrared Deep Sky Survey (UKIDSS) T dwarfs later than T4. From amongst
these, we identify the first two kinematic halo T-dwarf candidates. Blue
near-infrared colours have been attributed to collisionally induced
hydrogen absorption, which is enhanced by either high surface gravity or
low metallicity. Proper motions are measured and distances estimated,
allowing the determination of tangential velocities. U and V components
are estimated for our objects by assuming Vrad= 0. From this,
ULAS J0926+0835 is found to have U= 62 km s-1 and V=-140 km
s-1, and ULAS J1319+1209 is found to have U= 192 km
s-1 and V=-92 km s-1. These values are consistent
with potential halo membership. However, these are not the bluest
objects in our selection. The bluest is ULAS J1233+1219, with J-K=-1.16
± 0.07, and surprisingly this object is found to have young
disc-like U and V. Our sample also contains Hip 73786B, companion to the
metal-poor K5 dwarf Hip 73786. Hip 73786 is a metal-poor star, with
[Fe/H] =-0.3 ± 0.1 and is located at a distance of 19 ±
0.7 pc. U, V, W space velocity components are calculated for Hip 73786A
and B, finding that U=-48 ± 7 km s-1, V=-75 ± 4
km s-1 and W=-44 ± 8 km s-1. From the
properties of the primary, Hip 73786B is found to be at least 1.6-Gyr
old. As a metal-poor object, Hip 73786B represents an important addition
to the sample of known T dwarf benchmarks.