An upper boundary in the mass-metallicity plane of exo-Neptunes

Abstract

With the progress of detection techniques, the number of low-mass and small-size exoplanets is increasing rapidly. However their characteristics and formation mechanisms are not yet fully understood. The metallicity of the host star is a critical parameter in such processes and can impact the occurrence rate or physical properties of these planets. While a frequency-metallicity correlation has been found for giant planets, this is still an ongoing debate for their smaller counterparts. Using the published parameters of a sample of 157 exoplanets lighter than 40 M⊕, we explore the mass-metallicity space of Neptunes and super-Earths. We show the existence of a maximal mass that increases with metallicity, that also depends on the period of these planets. This seems to favour in situ formation or alternatively a metallicity-driven migration mechanism. It also suggests that the frequency of Neptunes (between 10 and 40 MM⊕) is, like giant planets, correlated with the host star metallicity, whereas no correlation is found for super-Earths (<10 MM⊕).