• Media type: E-Article
  • Title: Moderate-resolution K-band Spectroscopy of the Substellar Companion VHS 1256 b
  • Contributor: Hoch, Kielan K. W.; Konopacky, Quinn M.; Barman, Travis S.; Theissen, Christopher A.; Brock, Laci; Perrin, Marshall D.; Ruffio, Jean-Baptiste; Macintosh, Bruce; Marois, Christian
  • imprint: American Astronomical Society, 2022
  • Published in: The Astronomical Journal
  • Language: Not determined
  • DOI: 10.3847/1538-3881/ac84d4
  • ISSN: 0004-6256; 1538-3881
  • Origination:
  • Footnote:
  • Description: <jats:title>Abstract</jats:title> <jats:p>We present moderate-resolution (<jats:italic>R</jats:italic> ∼ 4000) <jats:italic>K</jats:italic>-band spectra of the planetary-mass companion VHS 1256 b. The data were taken with the OSIRIS integral field spectrograph at the W.M. Keck Observatory. The spectra reveal resolved molecular lines from H<jats:sub>2</jats:sub>O and CO. The spectra are compared to custom PHOENIX atmosphere model grids appropriate for young, substellar objects. We fit the data using a Markov chain Monte Carlo forward-modeling method. Using a combination of our moderate-resolution spectrum and low-resolution broadband data from the literature, we derive an effective temperature of 1240 K, with a range of 1200–1300 K, a surface gravity of log <jats:italic>g</jats:italic> = 3.25, with a range of 3.25–3.75, and a cloud parameter of <jats:inline-formula> <jats:tex-math> <?CDATA $\mathrm{log}{P}_{\mathrm{cloud}}=6$?> </jats:tex-math> <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" overflow="scroll"> <mml:mi>log</mml:mi> <mml:msub> <mml:mrow> <mml:mi>P</mml:mi> </mml:mrow> <mml:mrow> <mml:mi>cloud</mml:mi> </mml:mrow> </mml:msub> <mml:mo>=</mml:mo> <mml:mn>6</mml:mn> </mml:math> <jats:inline-graphic xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xlink:href="ajac84d4ieqn1.gif" xlink:type="simple" /> </jats:inline-formula>, with a range of 6.0–6.6. These values are consistent with previous studies, regardless of the new, larger system distance from GAIA EDR3 (21.15 <jats:inline-formula> <jats:tex-math> <?CDATA $\pm $?> </jats:tex-math> <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" overflow="scroll"> <mml:mo>±</mml:mo> </mml:math> <jats:inline-graphic xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xlink:href="ajac84d4ieqn2.gif" xlink:type="simple" /> </jats:inline-formula> 0.22 pc). We derive a C/O ratio of <jats:inline-formula> <jats:tex-math> <?CDATA ${0.590}_{-0.354}^{+0.280}$?> </jats:tex-math> <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" overflow="scroll"> <mml:msubsup> <mml:mrow> <mml:mn>0.590</mml:mn> </mml:mrow> <mml:mrow> <mml:mo>−</mml:mo> <mml:mn>0.354</mml:mn> </mml:mrow> <mml:mrow> <mml:mo>+</mml:mo> <mml:mn>0.280</mml:mn> </mml:mrow> </mml:msubsup> </mml:math> <jats:inline-graphic xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xlink:href="ajac84d4ieqn3.gif" xlink:type="simple" /> </jats:inline-formula> for VHS 1256b. Both our OSIRIS data and spectra from the literature are best modeled when using a larger 3 <jats:italic>μ</jats:italic>m grain size for the clouds than used for hotter objects, consistent with other sources in the L/T transition region. VHS 1256 b offers an opportunity to look for systematics in the modeling process that may lead to the incorrect derivation of properties like C/O ratio in the high contrast regime.</jats:p>
  • Access State: Open Access