Related papers: M dwarf stars in the light of (future) exoplanet s…
Cool M dwarfs outnumber sun-like G stars by ten to one in the solar neighborhood. Due to their proximity, small size, and low mass, M-dwarf stars are becoming attractive targets for exoplanet searches via almost all current search methods.…
We present a summary of the splinter session on "touchstone stars" -- stars with directly measured parameters -- that was organized as part of the Cool Stars 18 conference. We discuss several methods to precisely determine cool star…
We present a brief overview of a splinter session on determining the metallicity of low-mass dwarfs that was organized as part of the Cool Stars 16 conference. We review contemporary spectroscopic and photometric techniques for estimating…
The formation and evolution of brown dwarfs are currently "hot topics" in cool star research. Latest observations and modeling efforts on disks, accretion, outflows, spatial distribution, and binarity in the context of the formation by…
The formation of low-mass protostars and especially of brown dwarfs currently are ``hot topics'' in cool star research. The talks contributed to this splinter session discussed how low in mass and how low in luminosity objects might exist,…
Kinematic investigations are being increasingly deployed in studies of the lowest mass stars and brown dwarfs to investigate their origins, characterize their atmospheres, and examine the evolution of their physical parameters. This article…
M dwarfs constitute more than 70% of the stars in the solar neighborhood. They are cooler and smaller than Sun-like stars and have less-massive disks which suggests that planets around these stars are more likely to be Neptune-size or…
This summary reports on papers presented at the Cool Stars-16 meeting in the splinter session "Solar and Stellar flares." Although many topics were discussed, the main themes were the commonality of interests, and of physics, between the…
The difference in stellar structure above and below spectral type ~M4 is expected to be a very important one, connected directly or indirectly to a variety of observational phenomena in cool stars---such as rotation, activity, magnetic…
Stellar flares, winds and coronal mass ejections form the space weather. They are signatures of the magnetic activity of cool stars and, since activity varies with age, mass and rotation, the space weather that extra-solar planets…
The field of exoplanet research has revitalized interest in M dwarfs, which have become favorite targets of Doppler and transit surveys. Accurate measurements of their basic properties such as masses, radii, and effective temperatures have…
Winds of cool dwarfs are difficult to observe, with only a few M dwarfs presenting observationally-derived mass-loss rates (Mdot), which span several orders of magnitude. Close-in exoplanets are conveniently positioned in the inner regions…
Magnetic fields are regarded as a crucial element for our understanding of stellar physics. They can be studied with a variety of methods which provide complementary - and sometimes contradictory - information about the structure, strength…
During the last three decades, evidence has mounted that star and planet formation is not an isolated process, but is influenced by current and previous generations of stars. Although cool stars form in a range of environments, from…
We present a summary of the splinter session "Sun-like stars unlike the Sun" that was held on 09 June 2016 as part of the Cool Stars 19 conference (Uppsala, Sweden). We discussed the main limitations (in the theory and observations) in the…
The prospects for the habitability of M-dwarf planets have long been debated, due to key differences between the unique stellar and planetary environments around these low-mass stars, as compared to hotter, more luminous Sun-like stars.…
M dwarfs are the most abundant stars in the Universe and are hosts of a rich diversity of planetary companions. In many cases, planets orbiting M dwarfs can be described in remarkable detail. What makes the difference is how deeply we can…
Precise measurements of the fundamental properties of low-mass stars and brown dwarfs are key to understanding the physics underlying their formation and evolution. While there has been great progress over the last decade in studying the…
M dwarfs are prime targets in the hunt for habitable worlds around other stars. This is due to their abundance as well as their small radii and low masses and temperatures, which facilitate the detection of temperate, rocky planets in orbit…
M dwarf stars are the most promising hosts for detection and characterization of small and potentially habitable planets, and provide leverage relative to solar-type stars to test models of planet formation and evolution. Using \emph{Gaia}…