Search for cold debris disks around M-dwarfs

Abstract

Debris disks are believed to be related to planetesimals left over around stars after planet formation has ceased. The frequency of debris disks around M-dwarfs which account for 70% of the stars in the Galaxy is unknown while constrains have already been found for A- to K-type stars. We have searched for cold debris disks around 32 field M-dwarfs by conducting observations at λ = 850 μm with the SCUBA bolometer array camera at the JCMT and at λ = 1.2 mm with the MAMBO array at the IRAM 30-m telescopes. This is the first survey of a large sample of M-dwarfs conducted to provide statistical constraints on debris disks around this type of stars. We have detected a new debris disk around the M0.5 dwarf GJ 842.2 at λ = 850 //m, providing evidence for cold dust at large distance from this star (∼∼300 AU). By combining the results of our survey with the ones of Liu et al. (2004), we estimate for the first time the detection rate of cold debris disks around field M-dwarfs with ages between 20 and 200 Myr. This detection rate is 13 -8+6% and is consistent with the detection rate of cold debris disks (9-23%) around A- to K-type main sequence stars of the same age. This is an indication that cold disks may be equally prevalent across stellar spectral types. © ESO 2006.