Program: GS-2004B-Q-12

Using multi-epoch 2MASS data, we have conducted the first large area (580 square degrees) near-infrared proper motion survey. The goal of this survey is to look for nearby, optically faint/invisible sources that would have been missed by previous optical motion surveys. Near-infrared searches for nearby stars to date have relied solely on photometric criteria that are heavily biased toward solar-age, solar-metallicity stars and brown dwarfs. Such color-based surveys lead to an incomplete and biased census of the Solar Neighborhood. On the other hand, nearby disk dwarfs, halo stars, and brown dwarfs are usually distinguished by high proper motions. Of the 352 proper motion stars ($\mu >$ 0.2 arcsec/yr, $J<16.0$) detected in our new survey, nine lack detections on the optical blue and red sky survey plates. We wish to obtain classification spectra of these nine objects, along with comparison spectra of known low-mass subdwarfs and extreme subdwarf standards. Should some of these objects be verified as cool subdwarfs, they would serve as excellent probes of metallicity effects in cool, low-mass atmospheres.