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Far-infrared properties of M dwarfs
Gautier, Thomas N. III; Rieke, G. H.; Stansberry, John; Bryden, Geoffrey C.; Stapelfeldt, Karl R.; Werner, Michael W.; Beichman, Charles A.; Chen, Christine; Su, Kate; Trilling, David; Patten, Brian M.; Roellig, Thomas L.
Citation:Astrophysical Journal, v.667, no.1, pp. 527-536
Abstract:
We report the mid- and far-infrared properties of nearby M dwarfs. Spitzer/MIPS measurements were obtained for a sample of 62 stars at 24 μm, with subsamples of 41 and 20 stars observed at 70 μm and 160 μm respectively. We compare the results with current models of M star photospheres and look for indications of circumstellar dust in the form of significant deviations of K-[24 μm] colors and 70 μm / 24 μm flux ratios from the average M star values. At 24 μm, all 62 of the targets were detected; 70 μm detections were achieved for 20 targets in the subsample observed; and no detections were seen in the 160 μm subsample. No clear far-infrared excesses were detected in our sample. The average far infrared excess relative to the photospheric emission of the M stars is at least four times smaller than the similar average for a sample of solar-type stars. However,this limit allows the average fractional infrared luminosity in the M-star sample to be similar to that for more massive stars. We have also set low limits (10−4 to 10−9 MEarth depending on location) for the maximum mass of dust possible around our stars.