THE IMPACT OF STELLAR ROTATION ON THE DETECTABILITY OF HABITABLE PLANETS AROUND M DWARFS
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Newton-2016-THE IMPACT OF STELLA.pdf
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Author(s)
Newton, Elisabeth R.
Irwin, Jonathan
Charbonneau, David
Dittmann, Jason A.
Berta-Thompson, Zach
Date Issued
April 2016
Journal
Astrophysical Journal. Letters
Publisher
IOP Publishing
Citation
Newton, Elisabeth R. et al. “THE IMPACT OF STELLAR ROTATION ON THE DETECTABILITY OF HABITABLE PLANETS AROUND M DWARFS.” The Astrophysical Journal 821.1 (2016): L19. © 2016 The American Astronomical Society
Version
Final published version
Abstract
Stellar activity and rotation frustrate the detection of exoplanets through the radial velocity technique. This effect is particularly of concern for M dwarfs, which can remain magnetically active for billions of years. We compile rotation periods for late-type stars and for the M dwarf planet-host sample in order to investigate the rotation periods of older field stars across the main sequence. We show that for stars with masses between 0.25 and 0.5 M☉ (M4V–M1V), the stellar rotation period typical of field stars coincides with the orbital periods of planets in the habitable zone. This will pose a fundamental challenge to the discovery and characterization of potentially habitable planets around early M dwarfs. Due to the longer rotation periods reached by mid M dwarfs and the shorter orbital period at which the planetary habitable zone is found, stars with masses between 0.1 and 0.25 M☉ (M6V–M4V) offer better opportunities for the detection of habitable planets via radial velocities.
MIT Department
MIT Kavli Institute for Astrophysics and Space Research
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Article is made available in accordance with the publisher's policy and may be subject to US copyright law. Please refer to the publisher's site for terms of use.
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DOI of Published Version
https://doi.org/10.3847/2041-8205/821/1/l19
