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We present a uniform forward-modeling analysis of 90 late-M and L dwarfs in nearby young (~$10-200$ Myr) moving groups, the Pleiades, and the Hyades using low-resolution ($R\approx150$) near-infrared ($0.9-2.4$ $\mathrm{\mu m}$) spectra and the BT-Settl model atmospheres. We derive the objects' effective temperatures, surface gravities, radii, and masses by comparing our spectra to the models using a Bayesian framework with nested sampling and calculate the same parameters using evolutionary models. Assuming the evolutionary-based parameters are more robust, our spectroscopically inferred parameters from BT-Settl exhibit two types of systematic behavior for objects near the M-L spectral type boundary. Several are clustered around $T_\mathrm{eff} \approx 1800$ K and $\log g\approx5.5$ dex, implying impossibly large masses ($150-1400$ $M_\mathrm{Jup}$), while others are clustered around $T_\mathrm{eff}\gtrsim3000$ K and $\log g\lesssim3.0$ dex, implying non-physical low masses and unreasonably young ages. We find the fitted BT-Settl model spectra tend to overpredict the peak $J$ and $H$-band flux for objects located near the M-L boundary, suggesting the dust content included in the model atmospheres is insufficient to match the observations. By adding an interstellar medium-like reddening law to the BT-Settl model spectra, we find the fits between models and observed spectra are greatly improved, with the largest reddening coefficients occurring at the M-L transition. This work delivers a systematic examination of the BT-Settl model atmospheres and constitutes the largest spectral analysis of benchmark late-M and L-type brown dwarfs to date., Comment: ApJ, in Press

We derive the bolometric luminosities ($L_{\mathrm{bol}}$) of 865 field-age and 189 young ultracool dwarfs (spectral types M6-T9, including 40 new discoveries presented here) by directly integrating flux-calibrated optical to mid-IR spectral energy distributions (SEDs). The SEDs consist of low-resolution ($R\sim$ 150) near-IR (0.8-2.5 $\mu$m) spectra (including new spectra for 97 objects), optical photometry from the Pan-STARRS1 survey, and mid-IR photometry from the CatWISE2020 survey and Spitzer/IRAC. Our $L_{\mathrm{bol}}$ calculations benefit from recent advances in parallaxes from Gaia, Spitzer, and UKIRT, as well as new parallaxes for 19 objects from CFHT and Pan-STARRS1 presented here. Coupling our $L_{\mathrm{bol}}$ measurements with a new uniform age analysis for all objects, we estimate substellar masses, radii, surface gravities, and effective temperatures ($T_{\mathrm{eff}}$) using evolutionary models. We construct empirical relationships for $L_{\mathrm{bol}}$ and $T_{\mathrm{eff}}$ as functions of spectral type and absolute magnitude, determine bolometric corrections in optical and infrared bandpasses, and study the correlation between evolutionary model-derived surface gravities and near-IR gravity classes. Our sample enables a detailed characterization of BT-Settl and ATMO 2020 atmospheric model systematics as a function of spectral type and position in the near-IR color-magnitude diagram. We find the greatest discrepancies between atmospheric and evolutionary model-derived $T_{\mathrm{eff}}$ (up to 800 K) and radii (up to 2.0 $R_{\mathrm{Jup}}$) at the M/L transition boundary. With 1054 objects, this work constitutes the largest sample to date of ultracool dwarfs with determinations of their fundamental parameters., Comment: Resubmitted to The Astrophysical Journal (ApJ) after a positive referee report. 51 pages, 29 figures, 7 tables. Data presented in this work: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.8315643. Scripts associated with methods: https://github.com/cosmicoder/HIPPVI-Code

We place lower limits on the obliquities between debris disks and their host stars for 31 systems by comparing their disk and stellar inclinations. While previous studies did not find evidence for misalignment, we identify 6 systems with minimum obliquities falling between ~30{\deg}-60{\deg}, indicating that debris disks can be significantly misaligned with their stars. These high-obliquity systems span a wide range of stellar parameters with spectral types K through A. Previous works have argued that stars with masses below 1.2 $M_\odot$ (spectral types of ~F6) have magnetic fields strong enough to realign their rotation axes with the surrounding disk via magnetic warping; given that we observe high obliquities for relatively low-mass stars, magnetic warping alone is likely not responsible for the observed misalignment. Yet, chaotic accretion is expected to result in misalignments of ~20{\deg} at most and cannot explain the larger obliquities found in this work. While it remains unclear how primordial misalignment might occur and what role it plays in determining the spin-orbit alignment of planets, future work expanding this sample is critical towards understanding the mechanisms that shape these high-obliquity systems., Comment: Accepted to The Astrophysical Journal (ApJ)

HD 53143 is a mature Sun-like star and host to a broad disk of dusty debris, including a cold outer ring of planetesimals near 90 AU. Unlike most other inclined debris disks imaged at visible wavelengths, the cold disk around HD 53143 appears as disconnected "arcs" of material, with no forward scattering side detected to date. We present new, deeper Hubble Space Telescope (HST) Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (STIS) coronagraphic observations of the HD 53143 debris disk and show that the forward scattering side of the disk remains undetected. By fitting our KLIP-reduced observations via forward modeling with an optically thin disk model, we show that fitting the visible wavelength images with an azimuthally symmetric disk with unconstrained orientation results in an unphysical edge-on orientation that is at odds with recent ALMA observations, while constraining the orientation to that observed by ALMA results in nearly isotropically scattering dust. We show that the HD53143 host star exhibits significant stellar variations due to spot rotation and revisit age estimates for this system., Comment: 13 pages, 8 figures, 2 tables Accepted for publication in ApJ

Gaps in circumstellar disks can signal the existence of planetary perturbers, making such systems preferred targets for direct imaging observations of exoplanets. Being one of the brightest and closest stars to the Sun, the photometric standard star Vega hosts a two-belt debris disk structure. Together with the fact that its planetary system is being viewed nearly face-on, Vega has been one of the prime targets for planet imaging efforts. Using the vector vortex coronagraph on Keck/NIRC2 in Ms-band at 4.67 $\mu$m, we report the planet detection limits from 1 au to 22 au for Vega with an on-target time of 1.8 h. We reach a 3 Jupiter mass limit exterior to 12 au, which is nearly an order of magnitude deeper than existing studies. Combining with existing radial velocity studies, we can confidently rule out the existence of companions more than ~8 Jupiter mass from 22 au down to 0.1 au for Vega. Interior and exterior to ~4 au, this combined approach reaches planet detection limits down to ~2-3 Jupiter mass using radial velocity and direct imaging, respectively. By reaching multi-Jupiter mass detection limits, our results are expected to be complemented by the planet imaging of Vega in the upcoming observations using the James Webb Space Telescope to obtain a more holistic understanding of the planetary system configuration around Vega., Comment: 6 pages, 3 figures, 1 table, A&A accepted. Contrast curve for 2018 observation available in anc folder. Happy Rabbit Year!

We present ALMA 1.3 mm observations of the HD~53143 debris disk - the first infrared or millimeter image produced of this ~1 Gyr-old solar-analogue. Previous HST STIS coronagraphic imaging did not detect flux along the minor axis of the disk which could suggest a face-on geometry with two 'clumps' of dust. These ALMA observations reveal a disk with a strikingly different structure. In order to fit models to the millimeter visibilities and constrain the uncertainties on the disk parameters, we adopt an MCMC approach. This is the most eccentric debris disk observed to date with a forced eccentricity of $0.21\pm0.02$, nearly twice that of the Fomalhaut debris disk, and also displays apocenter glow. Although this eccentric model fits the outer debris disk well, there are significant interior residuals remaining that may suggest a possible edge-on inner disk, which remains unresolved in these observations. Combined with the observed structure difference between HST and ALMA, these results suggest a potential previous scattering event or dynamical instability in this system. We also note that the stellar flux changes considerably over the course of our observations, suggesting flaring at millimeter wavelengths. Using simultaneous TESS observations, we determine the stellar rotation period to be $9.6\pm0.1$ days., Comment: 9 pages, 3 figures, 2 tables, published in ApJ Letters

We perform a detailed characterization of the planetary system orbiting the bright, nearby M dwarf Gliese 411 using radial velocities gathered by APF, HIRES, SOPHIE, and CARMENES. We confirm the presence of a signal with a period near 2900 days that has been disputed as either a planet or a long-period stellar magnetic cycle. An analysis of activity metrics including the $\mathrm{H_\alpha}$ and $\mathrm{log'R_{HK}}$ indices supports the interpretation that the signal corresponds to a Neptune-like planet, GJ 411 c. An additional signal near 215 days was previously dismissed as an instrumental systematic, but we find that a planetary origin cannot be ruled out. With a semi-major axis of $0.5142\pm0.0042$ au, this candidate's orbit falls between those of its companions and is located beyond the outer edge of the system's habitable zone (determined using the moist greenhouse and maximum greenhouse limits in Kopparapu et al., 2013). It has a minimum mass of $4.1\pm0.6$ $M_\oplus$, giving a radial-velocity amplitude of $0.81\pm0.18$ $\mathrm{m\,s^{-1}}$. If confirmed, this would be one of the lowest-amplitude planet detections from any of these four instruments. Our analysis of the joint radial-velocity data set also provides tighter constraints on the orbital parameters for the previously known planets. Photometric data from TESS do not show any signs of a transit event. However, the outermost planet and candidate are prime targets for future direct imaging missions, and GJ 411 c may be detectable via astrometry., Comment: 19 pages, 13 figures, 5 tables; accepted to The Astronomical Journal (AJ)

We present an analysis of 1524 spectra of Vega spanning 10 years, in which we search for periodic radial velocity variations. A signal with a periodicity of 0.676 days and a semi-amplitude of ~10 m/s is consistent with the rotation period measured over much shorter time spans by previous spectroscopic and spectropolarimetric studies, confirming the presence of surface features on this A0 star. The timescale of evolution of these features can provide insight into the mechanism that sustains the weak magnetic fields in normal A type stars. Modeling the radial velocities with a Gaussian process using a quasi-periodic kernel suggests that the characteristic spot evolution timescale is ~180 days, though we cannot exclude the possibility that it is much longer. Such long timescales may indicate the presence of failed fossil magnetic fields on Vega. TESS data reveal Vega's photometric rotational modulation for the first time, with a total amplitude of only 10 ppm, and a comparison of the spectroscopic and photometric amplitudes suggest the surface features may be dominated by bright plages rather than dark spots. For the shortest orbital periods, transit and radial velocity injection recovery tests exclude the presence of transiting planets larger than 2 Earth radii and most non-transiting giant planets. At long periods, we combine our radial velocities with direct imaging from the literature to produce detection limits for Vegan planets and brown dwarfs out to distances of 15 au. Finally, we detect a candidate radial velocity signal with a period of 2.43 days and a semi-amplitude of 6 m/s. If caused by an orbiting companion, its minimum mass would be ~20 Earth masses; because of Vega's pole-on orientation, this would correspond to a Jovian planet if the orbit is aligned with the stellar spin. We discuss the prospects for confirmation of this candidate planet., Comment: 17 pages, 8 figures, 5 tables; accepted for publication in The Astronomical Journal