Building Worlds from Pebbles: How Stellar Mass and Metallicity Shape Planetary Systems
Pan et al. use pebble accretion simulations to study how stellar mass and metallicity affect planet formation. They find super-Earths peak around mid-mass stars, while giant planets form more around massive, metal-rich stars. Long-term dynamics reveal that single-planet systems around metal-rich stars are often more eccentric and inclined due to gravitational interactions.
Unraveling the Planet-Metallicity Connection in Intermediate-Mass Stars
The study investigates the planet-metallicity correlation in intermediate-mass stars at different evolutionary stages. It finds that pre-main sequence stars with planets have lower metallicities, while main sequence stars show a weak correlation, and red giants exhibit a strong planet-metallicity trend. The findings suggest that stellar structure and evolution impact how metallicity is observed, supporting the core accretion model of planet formation.