Physics
MONDAY, OCTOBER 20TH
Dr.SuvrathMahadevan
PennStateUniversity
4:00PMinTH411
Refreshmentsservedat3:50PM
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In Quest of Low Mass Planets in the Habitable Zones of M dwarfs
Abstract:
Mdwarfsareattractivetargetsfortransitandradialvelocitysearchesforlow‐mass
planets. I will discuss instrumental and astrophysical challenges in detecting and
con irmingtheseplanetsincludingthedesignandconstructionofthenearinfrared
HabitableZonePlanetFinder(HPF)spectrographwearebuildingtoconductaDop‐
plerRVsurveyofmidandlateMdwarfs.Iwillalsodiscusstheinsidiouseffectof
stellaractivityinmasqueradingasplanetarysignalsaroundMdwarfs(Gliese581,
Gliese 667) as well as recent work on spectroscopic activity indicators that may
helpidentifyandcorrectforstellaractivity.