Bibcode
Peña Ramírez, K.; Béjar, V. J. S.; Zapatero Osorio, M. R.
Bibliographical reference
Astronomy and Astrophysics, Volume 586, id.A157, 12 pp.
Advertised on:
2
2016
Journal
Citations
20
Refereed citations
19
Description
We report on a deep photometric survey covering an area of 1.17
deg2 in the young Upper Scorpius stellar association using
VIMOS Iz and UKIDSS ZJHK data that was taken with several years in
between. The search for the least massive population of Upper Scorpius
(~5-10 Myr, 145 pc) is performed on the basis of various optical and
infrared color-color and color-magnitude diagrams, including WISE
photometry, in the magnitude interval J = 14.5-19 mag (completeness),
which corresponds to substellar masses from 0.028 through 0.004
M⊙ at the age and distance of Upper Scorpius. We also
present the proper motion analysis of the photometric candidates,
finding that two objects successfully pass all photometric and
astrometric criteria for membership in the young stellar association.
One of them, USco J155150.2-213457, is a new discovery. We obtained low
resolution, near-infrared spectroscopy (R ~ 450, 0.85-2.35 μm) of
this new finding using the FIRE instrument. We confirmed its low-gravity
atmosphere expected for an Upper Scorpius member (weak alkaline lines,
strong VO absorption, peaked H-band pseudocontinuum). By comparison with
spectroscopic standards, we derive a spectral type of L6 ± 1, and
estimate a mass of ≈0.008-0.010 M⊙ for USco
J155150.2-213457. The colors and spectral slope of this object resemble
those of other young, cool members of Upper Scorpius and σ Orionis
(~3 Myr) and field, high gravity dwarfs of related classification in
contrast with the very red indices of field, low gravity, L-type dwarfs
of intermediate age. USco J155150.2-213457, which does not show infrared
flux excesses up to 4.5 μm, becomes one of the least massive and
latest type objects known in the entire Upper Scorpius stellar
association.