2MASS J20261584-2943124: An Unresolved L0.5 + T6 Spectral Binary

Abstract

We identify the L dwarf 2MASS J20261584-2943124 as an unresolved spectral binary, based on low-resolution, near-infrared spectroscopy from IRTF/SpeX. The data reveal a peculiar absorption feature at 1.6 microns, previously noted in the spectra of other very low-mass spectral binaries, which likely arises from overlapping FeH and CH4 absorption bands in the blended light of an L dwarf/T dwarf pair. Spectral template matching analysis indicates component types of L0.5 and T6, with relative brightness Delta H = 4.2+/-0.6. Laser guide star adaptive optics imaging observations with Keck/NIRC2 fail to resolve the source, indicating a maximum separation at the observing epoch of 0.25 arcsec, or a projected separation of 9 AU assuming a distance of 36+/-5 pc. With an age that is likely to be relatively older (>5 Gyr based on the system's large vtan and mass ratio arguments, the relative motion of the potentially "massive" (0.06-0.08 Msun) components of 2MASS J2026-2943 may be detectable through radial velocity variations, like its earlier-type counterpart 2MASS J03202839-0446358 (M8+T5), providing dynamical mass measurements that span the hydrogen burning limit.

25 pages, 5 figures; AJ in press

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