An Astrometric Search for a Sub-stellar Companion of the M8.5 Dwarf TVLM 513–46546 Using Very Long Baseline Interferometry

Author(s)

Jan Forbrich, Edo Berger, Mark J. Reid

Abstract

We conducted multi-epoch very long baseline interferometry observations

to search for astrometric reflex motion that would be caused by a

sub-stellar companion of the M8.5 dwarf TVLM 513–46546. The

observations yield an absolute parallax corresponding to a distance of

10.762 ± 0.027 pc and a proper motion of 78.09 ± 0.17 mas

yr–1. The averaged flux density per epoch varies by a

factor of at least three. From the absence of significant residual

motion, we place an upper limit on any reflex motion caused by a

companion, extending the parameter space covered by previous

near-infrared direct-imaging searches. The data exclude a phase space of

companion masses and orbital periods ranging from 3.8 M Jup

with an orbital radius of ~0.05 AU (and an orbital period of 16 days) to

0.3 M Jup with an orbital radius of ~0.7 AU (and an orbital

period of 710 days).

Organisation(s)

Department of Astrophysics

External organisation(s)

University of Vienna, Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics

Journal

The Astrophysical Journal: an international review of astronomy and astronomical physics

Volume

777

No. of pages

5

ISSN

0004-637X

DOI

https://doi.org/10.1088/0004-637X/777/1/70

Publication date

11-2013

Peer reviewed

Yes

Austrian Fields of Science 2012

103004 Astrophysics, 103003 Astronomy

Keywords

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