FeH absorption in the near-infrared spectra of late M and L dwarfs

We present medium-resolution z-, J-, and H-band spectra of four late-type dwarfs with spectral types ranging from M8 to L7.5. In an attempt to determine the origin of numerous weak absorption features throughout their near-infrared spectra, and motivated by the recent tentative identification of the E (4)Pi-A(4)Pi system of FeH near 1.6 mum in umbral and cool star spectra, we have compared the dwarf spectra to a laboratory FeH emission spectrum. We have identified nearly 100 FeH absorption features in the z-, J-, and H-band spectra of the dwarfs. In particular, we have identified 34 features that dominate the appearance of the H-band spectra of the dwarfs and that appear in the laboratory FeH spectrum. Finally, all of the features are either weaker or absent in the spectrum of the L7.5 dwarf, which is consistent with the weakening of the known FeH bandheads in the spectra of the latest L dwarfs.