Planet Formation Around M-dwarfs: From Young Disks to Planets

TL;DR

This paper reviews the current understanding of planet formation around M-dwarfs, focusing on their protoplanetary disks, how these disks evolve, and the potential for detecting resulting planetary systems with existing and upcoming technology.

Contribution

It synthesizes recent findings on M-dwarf disks and discusses prospects for observing planets around these stars, highlighting recent progress and future directions.

Findings

M-dwarfs are the most common stars in the solar neighborhood.

Protoplanetary disks around M-dwarfs have distinct properties influencing planet formation.

Current and future instruments can detect planets around M-dwarfs.

Abstract

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. But what planetary systems can form around M dwarfs? Following up on the Cool Stars~16 Splinter Session "Planet Formation Around M Dwarfs", we summarize here our knowledge of protoplanetary disks around cool stars, how they disperse, what planetary systems might form and can be detected with current and future instruments.