Planetary Science Seminar

M dwarfs provide an opportunity to detect planets in relatively short periods receiving Earth-like insolation, enabling characterization over a wide range of planetary atmospheric parameters. I will present an analysis of Spitzer and Kepler data of LHS 6343 C, the first non-inflated brown dwarf with a measured mass, radius, and luminosity, enabling the first test of brown evolutionary models on the mass-radius-luminosity plane. I will describe our program to detect and characterize transiting planets and brown dwarfs in the extended Kepler mission, K2. I will conclude with an analysis of planets around low mass stars in wide orbits from RV and direct imaging surveys; these are the planets that will be detected and characterized by the ongoing Gaia mission.