Accurate Stellar Parameters for Radial Velocity Surveys

The radial velocity (RV) method has provided a large and increasing number of planets orbiting other suns. Together with the successes of ground- and space-based photometry, RVs allow us to routinely characterize in unique detail thousands of exoplanets. This chapter addresses some of the main challenges and limitations of the RV method, especially those connected with the stellar parameters of the planet host stars. However, it also shows that the study of stars with planets, especially those detected or characterized through RVs, is providing unique information about the processes of planet formation, evolution, and composition. Finally, the bright future of this method is highlighted.