Two late-T dwarfs at kiloparsec distances revealed by JWST UNCOVER survey

TL;DR

This study used JWST deep field data to identify and analyze late-T dwarf candidates at kiloparsec distances, providing new insights into their distribution and density in the Galaxy's outer regions.

Contribution

First detection and characterization of late-T dwarfs at kiloparsec distances using JWST data, expanding knowledge of substellar populations beyond the solar neighborhood.

Findings

Two robust T dwarf candidates identified at ~0.4 and 0.86 kpc.

Measured T dwarf surface density lower than previous predictions.

T5-T7 dwarfs beyond 2 kpc have lower densities than local counterparts.

Abstract

We conducted a search for brown dwarf candidates in a James Webb Space Telescope deep field around A2744 to investigate the space density of these objects at kiloparsec distances. Our methodology employed an initial selection based on photometric colours, followed by spectral energy distribution fitting to both stellar atmospheric models and high-redshift galaxy templates. This approach yielded two robust T dwarf candidates and one possible L subdwarf candidate. The T dwarfs have estimated Galactic heights of 0.43 and 0.86 kpc, likely residing near the outer edges of the Galactic thin and thick discs, respectively. We measure a T dwarf surface number density of 0.094 per squared arcmin in the UNCOVER field, lower than previous predictions but consistent at the order-of-magnitude level. We also provide space number density estimates for T5-T8.9 dwarfs across different effective temperature and spectral type bins, finding that T5-T7 dwarfs out to 2 kpc have significantly lower densities than their solar neighbourhood counterparts, whilst T8 dwarfs within the thick disc exhibit densities comparable to local values. Our analysis demonstrates that broad-band near- to mid-infrared photometry provides high sensitivity to late-T dwarfs but is relatively less sensitive to L and early-T dwarfs. Spectroscopy is typically required to distinguish photometric candidates of L dwarfs, early-T subdwarfs, and high-redshift galaxies in JWST deep fields. This study demonstrates the potential for expanding our understanding of brown dwarf distributions and characteristics at unprecedented distances, offering new insights into substellar populations beyond the solar neighbourhood.