The frequency of low-mass exoplanets. II. The 'period valley'
Article
Article Title | The frequency of low-mass exoplanets. II. The 'period valley' |
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ERA Journal ID | 1057 |
Article Category | Article |
Authors | Wittenmyer, Robert A. (Author), O'Toole, Simon J. (Author), Jones, H. R. A. (Author), Tinney, C. G. (Author), Butler, R. P. (Author), Carter, B. D. (Author) and Bailey, J. (Author) |
Journal Title | The Astrophysical Journal: an international review of astronomy and astronomical physics |
Journal Citation | 722 (2), pp. 1854-1863 |
Number of Pages | 10 |
Year | 2010 |
Publisher | IOP Publishing |
Place of Publication | United States |
ISSN | 0004-637X |
1538-4357 | |
Digital Object Identifier (DOI) | https://doi.org/10.1088/0004-637X/722/2/1854 |
Web Address (URL) | https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/0004-637X/722/2/1854 |
Abstract | Radial-velocity planet search campaigns are now beginning to detect low-mass 'Super-Earth' planets, with minimum masses M sin ilsim 10 M ⊕. Using two independently developed methods, we have derived detection limits from nearly four years of the highest-precision data on 24 bright, stable stars from the Anglo-Australian Planet Search. Both methods are more conservative than a human analyzing an individual observed data set, as is demonstrated by the fact that both techniques would detect the radial-velocity signals announced as exoplanets for the 61 Vir system in 50% of trials. There are modest differences between the methods which can be recognized as arising from particular criteria that they adopt. What both processes deliver is a quantitative selection process such that one can use them to draw quantitative conclusions about planetary frequency and orbital parameter distribution from a given data set. Averaging over all 24 stars, in the period range P< 300 days and the eccentricity range 0.0 < e < 0.6, we could detect 99% of planets with velocity amplitudes Kgsim 7.1 m s-1. For the best stars in the sample, we are able to detect or exclude planets with Kgsim 3 m s-1, corresponding to minimum masses of 8 M ⊕ (P = 5 days) or 17 M ⊕ (P = 50 days). Our results indicate that the observed 'period valley', a lack of giant planets (M > 100 M ⊕) with periods between 10 and 100 days, is indeed real. However, for planets in the mass range 10-100 M ⊕, our results suggest that the deficit of such planets may be a result of selection effects. |
Keywords | planetary systems; radial velocities |
Contains Sensitive Content | Does not contain sensitive content |
ANZSRC Field of Research 2020 | 510109. Stellar astronomy and planetary systems |
490299. Mathematical physics not elsewhere classified | |
400607. Signal processing | |
Public Notes | File reproduced in accordance with the copyright policy of the publisher/author. |
Byline Affiliations | University of New South Wales |
Anglo-Australian Observatory, Australia | |
University of Hertfordshire, United Kingdom | |
Carnegie Institution of Washington, United States | |
Department of Biological and Physical Sciences | |
Macquarie University | |
Institution of Origin | University of Southern Queensland |
https://research.usq.edu.au/item/q071q/the-frequency-of-low-mass-exoplanets-ii-the-period-valley
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Wittenmyer_O’Toole_Jones_Tinney_Butler_AstrophysJ_2010_AV.pdf | ||
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