Astronomy and Astrophysics – Astrophysics
Scientific paper
Jan 2010
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2010aas...21542315t&link_type=abstract
American Astronomical Society, AAS Meeting #215, #423.15; Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, Vol. 42, p.328
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Astrophysics
Scientific paper
Low mass stars such as M dwarfs are prime targets for exoplanet transit searches as their low luminosities and small stellar radii could enable detection of super-Earths residing in their habitable zones. While promising targets for transit searches, M dwarfs are also inherently variable and can exhibit up to 6 magnitude flux enhancements in the optical U-band. This is significantly higher than the predicted transit depths of super-Earths (0.005 magnitude flux decrease). The behavior of flares at IR wavelengths, particularly those likely to be used to study and characterize M dwarf exoplanets using facilities such as JWST, remains largely unknown. To address these uncertainties, we have executed a coordinated, contemporaneous monitoring program of the optical and IR flux of M dwarfs known to regularly flare. A suite of telescopes located at the Kitt Peak National Observatory and the Apache Point Observatory were used for the observations. We present the initial results of this program and discuss how flare events could influence future exoplanet detection and characterization studies in the IR.
JPW acknowledges support from a NSF Astronomy and Astrophysics Postdoctoral Fellowship, AST 08-02230.
Hawley Suzanne L.
Hilton Eric J.
Kowalski Adam F.
Kundurthy Praveen
Schmidt Sarah J.
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