A SPITZER IRAC IMAGING SURVEY FOR T DWARF COMPANIONS AROUND M, L, AND T DWARFS: OBSERVATIONS, RESULTS, AND MONTE CARLO POPULATION ANALYSES

We report observational techniques, results, and Monte Carlo population analyses from a Spitzer Infrared Array Camera imaging survey for substellar companions to 117 nearby M, L, and T dwarf systems (median distance of 10 pc, mass range of 0.6 to ∼0.05 M☉). The two-epoch survey achieves typical detection sensitivities to substellar companions of [4.5 μm] ≤ 17.2 mag for angular separations between about 7'' and 165''. Based on common proper motion analysis, we find no evidence for new substellar companions. Using Monte Carlo orbital simulations (assuming random inclination, random eccentricity, and random longitude of pericenter), we conclude that the observational sensitivities translate to an ability to detect 600-1100 K brown dwarf companions at semimajor axes ∼>35 AU and to detect 500-600 K companions at semimajor axes ∼>60 AU. The simulations also estimate a 600-1100 K T dwarf companion fraction of <3.4% for 35-1200 AU separations and <12.4% for the 500-600 K companions for 60-1000 AU separations.