Revealing A Universal Planet-Metallicity Correlation For Planets of Different Sizes Around Solar-Type Stars

Ji Wang; Debra A. Fischer

doi:10.1088/0004-6256/149/1/14

paper

Revealing A Universal Planet-Metallicity Correlation For Planets of Different Sizes Around Solar-Type Stars

arXiv:1310.7830 · doi:10.1088/0004-6256/149/1/14

Abstract

The metallicity of exoplanet systems serves as a critical diagnostic of planet formation mechanisms. Previous studies have demonstrated the planet-metallicity correlation for large planets ( $R_{P} \geq 4 R_{E}$ ); however, a correlation has not been found for smaller planets. With a sample of 406 $K e pl er$ Objects of Interest whose stellar properties are determined spectroscopically, we reveal a universal planet-metallicity correlation: not only gas-giant planets ( $3.9 R_{E} < R_{P} \leq 22.0 R_{E}$ ) but also gas-dwarf ( $1.7 R_{E} < R_{P} \leq 3.9 R_{E}$ ) and terrestrial planets ( $R_{P} \leq 1.7 R_{E}$ ) occur more frequently in metal-rich stars. The planet occurrence rates of gas-giant planets, gas-dwarf planets, and terrestrial planets are $9.3 0_{- 3.04}^{+ 5.62}$ , $2.0 3_{- 0.26}^{+ 0.29}$ , and $1.7 2_{- 0.17}^{+ 0.19}$ times higher for metal-rich stars than for metal-poor stars, respectively.

10 pages, 4 figures, 1 table, accepted by AJ, converted into emulatedapj style

Revealing A Universal Planet-Metallicity Correlation For Planets of Different Sizes Around Solar-Type Stars

Abstract

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