Photometric Variability at the L/T Dwarf Boundary

Abstract

We have monitored the photometric variability of nine field L and T brown dwarfs for 10 nights during the course of one month with the Palomar 60 inch Telescope Near-Infrared Camera. Results of statistical analyses indicate that at least three of the nine targets show significant evidence for variability, and three more are possibly variable. Fractional deviations from the median flux vary from 5% to 25%. Two of the variable targets, 2MASS 0030-14 (L7) and SDSS 0151+12 (T1), have marginally significant peaks in their periodograms. The phased light curves show evidence for periodic behavior on timescales of 1.5 hours and 3.0 hours respectively. No significant correlations between variability amplitude and spectral type or (J-K_s) color are found. While it is clear that variability exists in objects near the L/T dwarf boundary, we find no evidence that variability near the L/T boundary is more likely than it is for early L dwarfs.

29 pages including 11 figures, 4 tables; accepted for publication in AJ

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