Brown dwarf populations in open clusters |
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| Authors: | Tim Adams Melvyn B Davies Richard F Jameson Aylwyn Scally |
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| Institution: | Department Physics and Astronomy, University of Leicester, Leicester LE1 7RH and; Institute of Astronomy, Madingley Road, Cambridge CB3 0HA |
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| Abstract: | We present the results of multiple simulations of open clusters, modelling the dynamics of a population of brown dwarf members. We consider the effects of a large range of primordial binary populations, including the possibilities of having brown dwarf members contained within a binary system. We also examine the effects of various cluster diameters and masses. Our examination of a population of wide binary systems containing brown dwarfs, reveals evidence for exchange reactions whereby the brown dwarf is ejected from the system and replaced by a heavier main-sequence star. We find that there exists the possibility of hiding a large fraction of the brown dwarfs contained within the primordial binary population. We conclude that it is probable that the majority of brown dwarfs are contained within primordial binary systems which then hides a large proportion of them from detection. |
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| Keywords: | binaries: general stars: low-mass brown dwarfs open clusters and associations: general open clusters and associations: individual: Pleiades |
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