Selection of M-dwarfs using Gaia, WISE, and 2MASS. Issue 3 (10th October 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Bentley, J; Tinney, C G; Sharma, S; Wright, D
• Is Part Of: Monthly notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. Volume 490:Issue 3(2019)
• Page Start: 4107
• Page End: 4120
• Publication Date: 2019-10-10
• Subjects: methods: data analysis -- surveys; Astronomy -- Periodicals; Periodicals; 520.5
• DOI: 10.1093/mnras/stz2823
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0035-8711

Abstract

ABSTRACT: We present criteria for the selection of M-dwarfs down to G < 14.5 using all-sky survey data, with a view to identifying potential M-dwarfs, to be confirmed spectroscopically by the FunnelWeb survey. Two sets of criteria were developed. The first, based on absolute magnitude in the Gaia G passband, with MG > 7.7, selects 76, 392 stars, with 81.0 per cent expected to be M-dwarfs at a completeness of >97 per cent. The second is based on colour and uses Gaia, WISE, and 2MASS all-sky photometry. This criteria identifies 94, 479 candidate M-dwarfs, of which between 29.4 per cent and 47.3 per cent are expected to be true M-dwarfs, and which contains 99.6 per cent of expected M-dwarfs. Both criteria were developed using synthetic galaxy model predictions, and a previously spectroscopically classified set of M- and K-dwarfs, to evaluate both M-dwarf completeness and false-positive detections (i.e. the non-M-dwarf contamination rate). Both criteria used in combination demonstrate how each excludes different sources of contamination. We therefore developed a final set of criteria that combines absolute magnitude and colour selection to identify 74, 091 stars. All these sets of criteria select numbers of objects feasible for confirmation via massively multiplexed spectroscopic surveys like FunnelWeb .