A Search for Photometric Variability in L and T type Brown Dwarf Atmospheres

TL;DR

This study used infrared photometry to detect and analyze brightness variations in L and T-type brown dwarfs, revealing that about a third show variability, with some binary candidates possibly exhibiting patchy atmospheres causing observed changes.

Contribution

First systematic infrared variability survey of L and T brown dwarfs, confirming variability in several objects and suggesting patchy atmospheres as a cause.

Findings

Approximately 35% of brown dwarfs show variability.

Detected variability in 4 out of 15 objects, including confirmed cases.

No increased variability observed at the L/T transition.

Abstract

Using the Gemini infrared camera on the 3-meter Shane telescope at Lick Observatory, we have searched for broad-band J and K' photometric variability for a sample of 15 L and T-type brown dwarfs, including 7 suspected spectral binaries. Four of the dwarfs - 2MASS J0939-2448, 2MASS J1416+1348A, 2MASS J1711+2232, and 2MASS J2139+0220 - exhibit statistically significant variations over timescales ranging from ~0.5 hr to 6 days. Our detection of variability in 2MASS J2139+0220 confirms that reported by Radigan et al., and periodogram and phase dispersion minimization analysis also confirms a variability period of approximately 7.6 +/- 0.2 hours. Remarkably, two of the four variables are known or candidate binary systems, including 2MASS J2139+0220, for which we find only marginal evidence of radial velocity variation over the course of a year. This result suggests that some spectral binary candidates may appear as such due to the blending of cloudy and non-cloudy regions in a single "patchy" atmosphere. Our results are consistent with an overall variability fraction of 35 +/- 5 %, with no clear evidence of greater variability among brown dwarfs at the L dwarf/T dwarf transition.