An Infrared Spectroscopic Sequence of M, L, and T Dwarfs
We present a 0.6-4.1 μm spectroscopic sequence of M, L, and T dwarfs.The spectra have R≡λ/Δλ~2000 from 0.9 to 2.4μm and R=2500-200 from 2.9 to 4.1 μm. These new data nearly doublethe number of L and T dwarfs that have reported L-band spectra. Thenear-infrared spectra are combined with previously published red-opticalspectra to extend the wavelength coverage to ~0.6 μm. Prominentatomic and molecular absorption features are identified includingneutral lines of Al, Fe, Mg, Ca, Ti, Na, and K and 19 new weakCH4 absorption features in the H-band spectra of mid- tolate-type T dwarfs. In addition, we detect for the first time the 0-0band of the A 4Π-X 4Σ-transition of VO at ~1.06 μm in the spectra of L dwarfs and the P-and R-branches of the ν3 band of CH4 in thespectrum of a T dwarf. The equivalent widths of the refractory atomicfeatures all decrease with increasing spectral type and are absent by aspectral type of ~L0, except for the 1.189 μm Fe I line, whichpersists to at least ~L3. We compute the bolometric luminosities of thedwarfs in our sample with measured parallaxes and find good agreementwith previously published results that use L'-band photometry to accountfor the flux emitted from 2.5 to 3.6 μm. Finally, 2MASSJ2224381-0158521 (L4.5) has an anomalously red spectrum and thestrongest Δν=+2 CO bands in our sample. This may be indicativeof unusually thick condensate clouds and/or low surface gravity.Based in part on data collected at Subaru telescope, which is operatedby the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan.
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