Abstract
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. Over the past decade, significant progress has been made by both space-
and ground-based observatories to measure the likelihood of small planets to
orbit in the habitable zones of M-dwarf stars. We now know that most M dwarfs
are hosts to closely-packed planetary systems characterized by a paucity of
Jupiter-mass planets and the presence of multiple rocky planets, with roughly a
third of these rocky M-dwarf planets orbiting within the habitable zone, where
they have the potential to support liquid water on their surfaces. Theoretical
studies have also quantified the effect on climate and habitability of the
interaction between the spectral energy distribution of M-dwarf stars and the
atmospheres and surfaces of their planets. These and other recent results fill
in knowledge gaps that existed at the time of the previous overview papers
published nearly a decade ago by Tarter et al. (2007) and Scalo et al. (2007).
In this review we provide a comprehensive picture of the current knowledge of
M-dwarf planet occurrence and habitability based on work done in this area over
the past decade, and summarize future directions planned in this quickly
evolving field.
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