Demographics of Exoplanets in Binaries (DEB). I. Architecture of S-Type Planetary Systems Revealed by the RV Sample

TL;DR

This study analyzes the demographics of exoplanets in binary star systems detected via radial velocity, revealing how binary separation influences planetary system architecture, mass, and period distributions, and suggesting migration and ejection processes are affected by binary proximity.

Contribution

It provides the first detailed statistical analysis of S-type exoplanets in binaries, accounting for observational biases and revealing new patterns related to binary separation and planetary characteristics.

Findings

Single and multiple planets are found in close and wide binaries respectively.

A rectangular gap in the period-mass diagram exists for single planets, dependent on binary separation.

Massive short-period planets are more common in close binaries.

Abstract

Although the sample of exoplanets in binaries has been greatly expanded, the sample heterogeneity and observational bias are obstacles toward a clear figure of exoplanet demographics in the binary environment. To overcome the obstacles, we conduct a statistical study that focuses on S-type planetary systems detected by the Radial Velocity method. We try to account for observational biases by estimating, from available RV data, planet detection efficiencies for each individual system. Our main results are as follows: (1) Single (multiple) planetary systems are mostly found in close (wide) binaries with separation aB<(>)100-300 AU. (2) In binaries, single and multiple-planet systems are similar in 1-D distributions of mass and period as well as eccentricity (in contrast to the "eccentricity dichotomy" found in single-star systems) but different in the 2-D period-mass diagram. Specifically, there is a rectangular-shaped gap in the period-mass diagram of single-planet systems but not for multiples. This gap also depends on binary separation and is more prominent in close binaries. (3) There is a rising upper envelope in the period-mass diagram for planets in wide binaries as well as in single stars but not in close binaries. More specifically, there is a population of massive short period planets in close binaries but almost absent in wide binaries or single stars. We suggest that enhanced planetary migration, collision, and /or ejection in close binaries could be the potential underlying explanation for these three features.