On the Mass-Period Distributions and Correlations of Extrasolar Planets

TL;DR

This paper constructs a correlated mass-period distribution model for 233 extrasolar planets, revealing a positive correlation and fine structures in the data, using novel algorithms for correlated beta distributions.

Contribution

It introduces a new method to generate correlated beta-distributed variables and constructs the first correlated mass-period distribution function for extrasolar planets.

Findings

Confirmed positive mass-period correlation in extrasolar planets.

Identified fine structures in the mass-period distribution.

Highlighted scarcity of massive close-in planets.

Abstract

In addition to fitting the data of 233 extra-solar planets with power laws, we construct a correlated mass-period distribution function of extrasolar planets, as the first time in this field. The algorithm to generate a pair of positively correlated beta-distributed random variables is introduced and used for the construction of correlated distribution functions. We investigate the mass-period correlations of extrasolar planets both in the linear and logarithm spaces, determine the confidence intervals of the correlation coefficients, and confirm that there is a positive mass-period correlation for the extrasolar planets. In addition to the paucity of massive close-in planets, which makes the main contribution on this correlation, there are other fine structures for the data in the mass-period plane.