| Description |
M dwarfs are the most populous stars in our local universe, and yet we know little about how they form and how often they form planetary systems. Due to smaller stellar radii, larger gravitational reflex motions, and closer habitable zones, M dwarfs are ideal targets for detecting the first terrestrial mass planets in the habitable zone and will be high priority targets for years to come. Therefore, studying the population and physical characteristics of circumstellar disks around M dwarfs will provide insights into this unique environment in which we hope to find habitable planets. Here, we propose to use the Herschel telescope to collect far-infrared (100 & 160 micron) photometry of a sample of 32 M dwarfs. Our sample represents the best candidates to contain detectable debris disks based on youth and proximity to Earth. Our science goals will be to characterize the physical properties of these disks such as temperature, extent and composition thereby gaining a deeper understanding of the formation and evolution of the planetary systems around low-mass stars. This will also identify the best targets for terrestrial planet search programs based on recent Kepler findings. |
