Wide low very low-mass binary systems

Formation mechanisms of very low-mass (VLM) objects are still under considerable debate, and an accurate assessment of their multiplicity and orbital properties is essential for constraining current theoretical models. Taking advantage of the virtual observatory capabilities, we looked for comoving low and VLM binary (or multiple) systems using the Large Area Survey of the UKIDSS LAS DR10, SDSS DR9 and the 2MASS Catalogues.

Other catalogues (WISE, GLIMPSE, SuperCosmos, etc.) were used to derive the physical parameters of the systems. We report the identification of 36 low and VLM (~M0-L0 spectral types) candidates to binary/multiple system (separations between 200 and 92000au), whose physical association is confirmed through common proper motion, distance and low probability of chance alignment. This new system list notably increases the previous sampling in their mass-separation parameter space (~100).