NSF Award
0242534
ABSTRACT<br/><br/>Freedman, Richard<br/>"NStars: Understanding the L-dwarfs and T-dwarfs"<br/>AST-0086234<br/><br/>Dr. Freedman is producing a model spectral catalog for L-dwarf and T-dwarf stars. Also known as 'brown dwarf stars,' such objects are below the hydrogen-burning limit for normal stars. To facilitate the discovery of and subsequent follow-up research on brown dwarfs Dr. Freedman and colleagues are computing a library of high-resolution spectra covering the wavelength regime of 0.5-1000 micrometers appropriate for objects with effective temperatures ranging from 500-2200 K and metallicities ranging from -2 < [Fe/H] < 0.5. The opacity of alkali metals and the influence of dusty condensates are included in the calculations. The resulting model spectra are compared to observed spectra of L- and T-dwarfs over the full range of L- and T-dwarfs. The results are distributed to the scientific community via the web.<br/>Funding for this project was provided by the NSF Stellar Astronomy & Astrophysics (AST/SAA) program through the joint NSF/NASA "Nearby Stars (NStars)" initiative, and the NSF Mathematical & Physical Sciences Directorate Office of Multidisciplinary Activities (MPS/OMA).
