The First JWST Spectral Energy Distribution of a Y Dwarf

Abstract

We present the first JWST spectral energy distribution of a Y dwarf. This spectral energy distribution of the Y0 dwarf WISE J035934.06−540154.6 consists of low-resolution (λ/Δλ ∼100) spectroscopy from 1–12 μm and three photometric points at 15, 18, and 21 μm. The spectrum exhibits numerous fundamental, overtone, and combination rotational–vibrational bands of H2O, CH4, CO, CO2, and NH3, including the previously unidentified ν 3 band of NH3 at 3 μm. Using a Rayleigh–Jeans tail to account for the flux emerging at wavelengths greater than 21 μm, we measure a bolometric luminosity of 1.523 ± 0.090 × 1020 W. We determine a semiempirical effective temperature estimate of 467−18+16 K using the bolometric luminosity and evolutionary models to estimate a radius. Finally, we compare the spectrum and photometry to a grid of atmospheric models and find reasonably good agreement with a model having T eff = 450 K, log g = 3.25 [cm s−2], and [M/H] = −0.3. However, the low surface gravity implies an extremely low mass of 1 M Jup and a very young age of 20 Myr, the latter of which is inconsistent with simulations of volume-limited samples of cool brown dwarfs.