Observing brown dwarfs in the Magellanic Cloud star-forming regions with the E-ELT

TL;DR

This study uses simulations to demonstrate that the European Extremely Large Telescope can effectively observe and identify young brown dwarfs and giant planet-mass objects in star-forming regions of the Magellanic Clouds.

Contribution

First detailed simulation showing E-ELT's capability to detect substellar objects in extragalactic star-forming regions.

Findings

Nearly complete detection of brown dwarfs above 13 MJup in Magellanic Clouds

Potential to detect young giant planet-mass objects

Simulations indicate feasibility of observing these objects with E-ELT

Abstract

We present the results of near-infrared imaging simulations of young star-forming regions in the Magellanic Clouds to be observed with the European Extremely Large Telescope (E-ELT). The simulated J,H,K-band images show that we should be able to obtain nearly complete samples of young brown dwarfs above the deuterium burning limit (M > 13 MJup) in low-mass star-forming regions in the Clouds. Moreover, very young giant planet-mass objects in the Clouds should be detectable with the E-ELT under favourable conditions.