Characterization of Dusty Debris Disks: TheIRASandHipparcosCatalogs

Dusty debris disks around main-sequence stars are signposts for the existenceof planetesimals and exoplanets. From cross-correlating \hip stars with the\iras catalogs, we identify 146 stars within 120 pc of Earth that show excessemission at 60 $\micron$. This search took special precautions to avoid falsepositives. Our sample is reasonably well distributed from late B to earlyK-type stars, but it contains very few later type stars. Even though \iras flewmore than 20 years ago and many astronomers have cross-correlated its catalogswith stellar catalogs, we were still able to newly identify debris disks at asmany as 33 main-sequence stars; of these, 32 are within 100 pc of Earth. Thepower of an all-sky survey satellite like \iras is evident when comparing our33 new debris disks with the total of only 22 dusty debris disk stars detectedfirst with the more sensitive, but pointed, satellite \iso. Our investigationfocuses on the mass, dimensions, and evolution of dusty debris disks.Comment: Changes made to table, figures and conclusion (v4); correction made to Equation 9 (v3); added a paragraph and a reference to Section 3 (v2); ApJ in pres