A NEAR-INFRARED SPECTROSCOPIC SURVEY OF 886 NEARBY M DWARFS

We present a catalog of near-infrared (NIR) spectra and associated measurements for 886 nearby M dwarfs. The spectra were obtained with the NASA-Infrared Telescope Facility SpeX Spectrograph during a two-year observing campaign; they have high signal-to-noise ratios (S/N > 100-150), span 0.8-2.4 mu m, and have R similar to 2000. Our catalog of measured values contains useful T-eff and composition-sensitive features, empirical stellar parameter measurements, and kinematic, photometric, and astrometric properties compiled from the literature. We focus on measurements of M dwarf abundances ([Fe/H] and [M/H]), capitalizing on the precision of recently published empirical NIR spectroscopic calibrations. We explore systematic differences between different abundance calibrations, and from other similar M dwarf catalogs. We confirm that the M dwarf abundances we measure show the expected inverse dependence with kinematic-, activity-, and color-based age indicators. Finally, we provide updated [Fe/H] and [M/H] for 16 M dwarf planet hosts. This catalog represents the largest published compilation of NIR spectra and associated parameters for M dwarfs. It provides a rich and uniform resource for nearby M dwarfs, and will be especially valuable for measuring Habitable Zone locations and comparative abundances of the M dwarf planet hosts that will be uncovered by upcoming exoplanet surveys.