We have completed a search for low luminosity companions, including high mass brown dwarfs, to all M dwarfs known within eight parsecs of the sun, and north of -25°. We found six new companions orbiting the survey stars. The masses of the six new secondaries fall between 0.39 and 0.05 M(⊙). Three of the new companions, G208-44B, GL 623B and LHS 1047B, and one previously known secondary in the survey, Ross 614B, are brown dwarf candidates with masses ∼80 Jupiters (0.08 M(⊙)), the dividing line between stars and brown dwarfs. In addition, we provide infrared photometry at J, H and K for all 99 survey members, and spectral types on standard system for half. Analysis of the entire sample indicates that 50% of the stars in the more distant half of the survey volume remain undetected, as is supported by the steadily growing M dwarf census over the last 45 years. The binary fraction of M dwarfs, 30-40%, is lower than that of earlier type main sequence stars, and there are more companions to M dwarfs found between 1 and 10 AU than in any other decade interval. We find that the luminosity function of the lowest mass stars is flat or rising to the end of the main sequence, and that the mass function undoubtedly rises to the stellar/substellar break. We illustrate that the resolution of close binaries is crucial if accurate luminosity and mass functions are to be determined. Finally, we estimate 0.02 M(⊙)/pc³ to be the amount of mass contributed by M dwarfs to the galactic mass. Based upon new mass-luminosity relations developed at infrared wavelengths using a sample of stars with well-determined masses between 1.2 and 0.08 M(⊙), we are able to define empirically the end of the main sequence. We present absolute magnitudes, colors and spectral types for objects at the theoretical lowest stellar mass. Using these relations, we conclude that a few brown dwarfs may have already been discovered. (Abstract shortened with permission of author.)

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 2005. / Supervisor: Daniel T. Jaffe. Vita. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Delaware, 2006. / Principal faculty advisor: John E. Gizis, Dept. of Physics & Astronomy. Includes bibliographical references.

Not available / text

Typescript. / Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Hawaii at Manoa, 1990. / Includes bibliographical references. / Microfiche. / xii, 178 leaves, bound ill. 29 cm

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Georgia State University, 2009. / Title from file title page. Harold A. McAlister, committee chair; Russel J. White, Brian D. Mason, Douglas R. Gies, David W. Latham, A.G. Unil Perera, Todd J. Henry, committee members. Description based on contents viewed Aug. 24, 2009. Includes bibliographical references (p. 391-410).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Hawaii at Manoa, 2004. / On title page "[mu]" appears as Greek symbol. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 167-180).

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Delaware, 2008. / Principal faculty advisor: John E. Gizis, Dept. of Physics & Astronomy. Includes bibliographical references.

We report on a search for short -period binary systems composed of pairs of evolved stars. The search is being carried out concurrently with a program to characterize the kinematical properties of two different samples of stars. Each sample has produced one close binary candidate for which further spectroscopic observations are planned. We also recapitulate the discovery of a close detached binary system composed of two cool DA white dwarfs, and we discuss the null results of Ha observations of the suspected white dwarf /brown dwarf system G 29-38.

We report on high dispersion spectroscopy of the Ha absorption line of the cool DA white dwarf G 29 -38. This is the star for which a recently detected infrared excess has been suggested to be due to a possible brown dwarf companion by Zuckerman and Becklin (1986, 1987). Three echelle spectra obtained at the Multiple Mirror Telescope and at the Kitt Peak Mayall 4m telescope in 1987 December show no evidence for radial velocity variations larger than -'1.1 ± 8.7 km s -1 and are used to derive a weighted heliocentric radial velocity Vr = 33.7 ± 4.3 km s -1 for the white dwarf. No emission component from the hypothesized secondary star is detected. These negative results do not constitute strong evidence against the companion hypothesis, since the expected orbital velocity of the white dwarf component could be quite small, and the companion's line emission could be too faint to be detected. However, the observation of a sharp absorption line core restricts the possible rotation of the white dwarf to < 40 km s -1 and ensures that any surface magnetic field has a strength < 105 gauss. These results make it unlikely that the DA white dwarf has previously been in a cataclysmic variable accretion phase.