A Uniform Retrieval Analysis of Ultra-cool Dwarfs. IV. A Statistical Census from 50 Late-T Dwarfs

TL;DR

This study performs a uniform atmospheric retrieval analysis on 50 late-T dwarf spectra, significantly expanding the sample with detailed constraints on their atmospheric properties, and compares results with theoretical models.

Contribution

It provides the largest sample to date of T dwarfs with retrieved temperature profiles and chemical abundances, enhancing understanding of their atmospheres.

Findings

Effective temperatures constrained within 50K.

Major species' volume mixing ratios within 0.25dex.

Atmospheric metallicities and C/O ratios within 0.2.

Abstract

The spectra of brown dwarfs are key to exploring the chemistry and physics that take place in their atmospheres. Late-T dwarf spectra are particularly diagnostic due to their relatively cloud-free atmospheres and deep molecular bands. With the use of powerful atmospheric retrieval tools applied to the spectra of these objects, direct constraints on molecular/atomic abundances, gravity, and vertical thermal profiles can be obtained enabling a broad exploration of the chemical/physical mechanisms operating in their atmospheres. We present a uniform retrieval analysis on low-resolution IRTF SpeX near-IR spectra of a sample of 50 T dwarfs, including new observations as part of a recent volume-limited survey. This analysis more than quadruples the sample of T dwarfs with retrieved temperature profiles and abundances (H$_2$O, CH$_4$, NH$_3$, K and subsequent C/O and metallicities). We are generally able to constrain effective temperatures to within 50K, volume mixing ratios for major species to within 0.25dex, atmospheric metallicities [M/H] to within 0.2, and C/O ratios to within 0.2. We compare our retrieved constraints on the thermal structure, chemistry, and gravities of these objects with predictions from self-consistent radiative-convective equilibrium models and find, in general though with substantial scatter, consistency with solar composition chemistry and thermal profiles of the neighboring stellar FGK population. Objects with notable discrepancies between the two modeling techniques and potential mechanisms for their differences, be they related to modeling approach or physically motivated, are discussed more thoroughly in the text.