Mid-infrared selection of brown dwarfs and high-redshift quasars

作者：Stern Daniel^*; Kirkpatrick J Davy; Allen Lori E; Bian Chao; Blain Andrew; Brand Kate; Brodwin Mark; Brown Michael J I; Cool Richard; Desai Vandana; Dey Arjun; Eisenhardt Peter; Gonzalez Anthony; Jannuzi Buell T; Menendez Delmestre Karin; Smith Howard A; Soifer B T; Tiede Glenn P; Wright E

来源：Astrophysical Journal, 2007, 663(1): 677-685.

DOI：10.1086/516833

• galaxies : high-redshift
• quasars : individual (IRAC J142738.5+331242)
• stars : individual (IRAC J142950.8+333011)
• stars : low-mass, brown dwarfs
• surveys

We discuss color selection of rare objects in a wide-field multiband survey spanning from the optical to the mid-infrared. Simple color criteria simultaneously identify and distinguish two of the most sought after astrophysical sources: the coolest brown dwarfs and the most distant quasars. We present spectroscopically confirmed examples of each class identified in the IRAC Shallow Survey of the Bootes field of the NOAO Deep Wide-Field Survey. IRAC J142950.8 + 333011 is a T4.5 brown dwarf at a distance of approximately 30-40 pc, and IRAC J142738.5 + 331242 is a radio-loud quasar at redshift z = 6.12. Our selection criteria identify a total of four candidates over 8 deg(2) of the Boo r tes field. The other two candidates are both confirmed 5.5 < z < 6 quasars, previously reported by Cool et al. (2006). We discuss the implications of these discoveries and conclude that there are excellent prospects for extending such searches to cooler brown dwarfs and higher redshift quasars.

• 出版日期2007-7-1