Spectroscopic estimate of surface gravity for a planetary member in the Sigma Ori cluster

Abstract

We present intermediate-resolution (R=1500) near-infrared spectroscopy from 1.17 $\mu$m to 1.37 $\mu$m of the spectral type T planetary candidate member in the \sigori cluster S Ori 70 reported by Zapatero Osorio et al. (2002). The new data have been obtained with NIRSPEC at the Keck II telescope. The best fit of our mid-resolution spectrum of S Ori 70 with theoretical spectra gives log g=3.5$\pm$0.5 cm s${}^{-2}$ and T${}_{\mathrm{eff}}$=1,100${}_{-100}^{+200}$ K. The low gravity of this object derived from spectral synthesis supports its youth and membership to the young \sigori cluster. Using evolutionary models for an age of 3 Myr, we obtain a mass of 3 \mjup and a radius of 0.16 $R_{\odot }$, independent of the distance to the object. Our analysis confirms that S Ori 70 is the lowest mass cluster planet so far identified in the galaxy.

Accepted for publication in The Astrophysical Journal Letters