On the Fundamental Mass-Period Functions of Extrasolar Planets

TL;DR

This paper constructs and analyzes the mass and period distribution functions of 175 exoplanets, considering selection effects, revealing flatter mass functions and steeper period functions than previous studies.

Contribution

First to incorporate selection effects into coupled mass-period functions of exoplanets, providing new insights into their distribution.

Findings

Approximately 2.5% of stars host Earth to Neptune mass planets.

About 3% of stars have Neptune to Jupiter mass planets.

Results align with previous studies but show different distribution slopes.

Abstract

Employing a catalog of 175 extrasolar planets (exoplanets) detected by the Doppler-shift method, we constructed the independent and coupled mass-period functions. It is the first time in this field that the selection effect is considered in the coupled mass-period functions. Our results are consistent with those in Tabachnik and Tremaine (2002) with the major differences that we obtain a flatter mass function but a steeper period function. Moreover, our coupled mass-period functions show that about 2.5 percent of stars would have a planet with mass between Earth Mass and Neptune Mass, and about 3 percent of stars would have a planet with mass between Neptune Mass and Jupiter Mass.