The Arecibo detection of the coolest radio-flaring brown dwarf

Abstract

Radio detection provides unique means to measure and study magnetic fields of the coolest brown dwarfs. Previous radio surveys have observed quiescent and flaring emission from brown dwarfs down to spectral type L3.5, but only upper limits have been established for even cooler objects. We report the detection of sporadic, circularly polarized flares from the T6.5 dwarf, 2MASS J1047+21, with the Arecibo radio telescope at 4.75GHz. This is by far the coolest brown dwarf yet detected at radio frequencies. The fact that such an object is capable of generating observable, coherent radio emission, despite its very low, 900K temperature, demonstrates the feasibility of studies of brown dwarfs of the meagerly explored L, T, and Y spectral types, using radio detection as a tool. © 2012. The American Astronomical Society. All rights reserved.