JWST 1.5 {\mu}m and 4.8 {\mu}m Photometry of Y Dwarfs

TL;DR

This study utilizes JWST photometry to analyze the properties, colors, and motions of Y dwarfs, revealing new insights into their temperatures, compositions, and potential youth or low-mass status.

Contribution

First JWST photometric dataset of Y dwarfs providing detailed color-magnitude diagrams and updated astrometry, enhancing understanding of their physical characteristics.

Findings

WISEA J083011.95+283716.0 is one of the reddest Y dwarfs known.

CWISEP J104756.81+545741.6 shows strong CO absorption, indicating it may be very low-mass and young.

The binary system WISE J033605.05-014350.4 AB has a secondary almost as cold as WISE 085510.83-071442.5, with possible water clouds.

Abstract

Brown dwarfs lack nuclear fusion and cool with time; the coldest known have an effective temperature below 500 K, and are known as Y dwarfs. We present a James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) photometric dataset of Y dwarfs: twenty-three were imaged in wide-field mode, 20 using NIRCam with the F150W and F480M filters, and 3 using NIRISS with the F480M filter. We present an F480M vs. F150W $-$ F480M color-magnitude diagram for our sample, and other brown dwarfs with F150W and F480M colors synthesized from JWST spectra by Beiler et al. (2024). For one target, WISEA J083011.95$+$283716.0, its detection in the near-infrared confirms it as one of the reddest Y dwarfs known, with F150W $-$ F480M $= 9.62$ mag. We provide its updated parallax and proper motion. One of the Beiler et al. Y dwarfs, CWISEP J104756.81+545741.6, is unusually blue, consistent with strong CO absorption seen in its spectrum which the F480M filter is particularly sensitive to. The strong CO and the kinematics of the object suggest it may be very low-mass and young. We update the resolved photometry for the close binary system WISE J033605.05$-$014350.4 AB, and find that the secondary is almost as cold as WISE 085510.83$-$071442.5, with $T_{\rm eff} \lesssim 300$ K, however the F150W $-$ F480M color is significantly bluer, possibly suggesting the presence of water clouds. Astrometry is measured at the JWST epoch for the sample which is consistent with parallax and proper motion values reported by Kirkpatrick et al. (2021) and Marocco et al. (in prep).