James Webb Space Telescope Feed Post

Arxiv: Candidates for Substellar Members of the Orion Nebula Cluster from JWST/NIRCam Published: 10/14/2024 2:58:37 PM Updated: 10/14/2024 2:58:37 PM

Paper abstract: In 2022, the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) obtained 1-5um images of thecenter of the Orion Nebula Cluster (ONC). I have analyzed these data in anattempt to search for substellar members of the cluster. Using a pair ofcolor-color diagrams, I have identified >200 brown dwarf candidates that lackspectral classifications. Some of the candidates could be protostars (eitherstellar or substellar) given their very red colors. Based on the age of the ONCand the photometry predicted by theoretical evolutionary models, the faintestcandidates could have masses of 1-2 Mjup. This sample of candidates may proveto be valuable for studying various aspects of young brown dwarfs, includingtheir mass function and minimum mass. However, spectroscopy is needed toconfirm the membership (via signatures of youth) and late spectral types of thecandidates. Finally, I note that most of the "Jupiter-mass binary objects" thathave been previously identified with these JWST images are absent from mysample of candidates because their colors are indicative of reddened backgroundsources rather than young brown dwarfs or their photometry is inadequate forassessing their nature because of very low signal-to-noise ratios and/ordetections in only a few bands.