2025NatAs...9.1007K -
Nature Astronomy, 9, 1007-1021 (2025/July-0)
Near-circular orbits for planets with Earth-like sizes and instellations around M and K dwarf stars.
KIPPING D., SOLANO-OROPEZA D., YAHALOMI D.A., LI M., PODDAR A. and ZHANG X.
Abstract (from CDS):
Recent advances have enabled the discovery of a population of potentially Earth-like planets; however, their orbital eccentricity, which governs their climate and provides clues about their origin and dynamical history, is still largely unconstrained. Here we identify a sample of 17 transiting exoplanets around late-type stars with similar radii and irradiation to that of Earth and use the 'photoeccentric effect'-which exploits transit durations-to infer their eccentricity distribution using hierarchical Bayesian modelling. Our analysis establishes that these worlds further resemble Earth in that their eccentricities are nearly circular (mean eccentricity $0.06{0}_{-0.028}^{+0.040}$ and ≤0.15), with the exception of one outlier of moderate eccentricity. This outlier hints at a subset population of dynamically warmer Earths, but this requires a larger sample to statistically confirm. The planets in our sample are thus largely subject to minimal eccentricity-induced seasonal variability and are consistent with emerging via smooth disk migration rather than violent planet-planet scattering.
Abstract Copyright:
2025 The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Limited
Journal keyword(s):
Status at CDS
:
Large table(s) will be appraised for possible ingestion in VizieR.
Simbad objects:
127
View the references in ADS