[39.06] An Adaptive Optics Survey for Brown Dwarfs in Stellar Systems

AAS 205th Meeting, 9-13 January 2005
Session 39 Finding Extrasolar Planets
Oral, Monday, January 10, 2005, 2:00-3:30pm, Golden Ballroom

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[39.06] An Adaptive Optics Survey for Brown Dwarfs in Stellar Systems

J. C. Carson (Jet Propulsion Laboratory), S. S. Eikenberry (University of Florida), B. R. Brandl (Leiden University), J. C. Wilson (University of Virginia), T. L. Hayward (Gemini Observatory)

I present here procedures and results for the Cornell High-order Adaptive Optics Survey (CHAOS) for brown dwarf companions to stellar systems. This survey consisted of near-infrared coronagraphic observations of 80 stars out to 22 parsecs. The subsequent data analysis revealed that zero systems showed conclusive evidence for a brown dwarf companion. Accompanying Monte Carlo population simulations determined a brown dwarf companion upper limit of 9.7% for the 25-100 AU semi-major axis region. Such a value indicates, at an 89% confidence level, that the "brown dwarf desert" around stellar objects extends further than has been previously reported.

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