Distribution of planets material

[mersecske]

Can we know something of the distribution of planets material in general?

I mean, the percentage of solid, fluid, gas planets in general (maybe theoretically) in solar systems. And percentage of planets with atmospheres?

 

[AstrophysicsX]

Well, we know that most planets that are the close to the sun are usually really hot and rocky, and tend to have very tiny atmosphere, if at all. Going past the rocky planets you tend to see gas giants. I haven't heard of there being a natural distribution. It all depends on the mass and temperature of the host sun.

 

[mersecske]

Are there any theoretical calculation?
I mean, for not our sun, but in general?

 

[Nik_2213]

"most planets that are close to the sun are usually really hot and rocky"

Unfortunately, the crop of 'hot jupiters' has put paid to such simplicity...
;-((
You should check the star's metallicity as this provides a clue to possible construction materials...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metallicity

 

[AstrophysicsX]

Just goes to show that there's no natural distribution.

 

[twofish-quant]

Can we know something of the distribution of planets material in general?

We are learning more as we get more data.

The problem is that the data is just coming in, and since it's early data it's not clear how much is observational and how much is real. For example, we are seeing a lot of Jupiter-sized planets near stars, but how much of that it because those types of planets are easier to detect is unclear right now.

Stay tuned.

 

[Chronos]

Unsurprisingly, big planets comprise the majority of extrasolar bodies discovered thus far. Kepler is better suited to find smaller, rocky planets.

 

[kamenjar]

I would also suspect that presence of hot jupiters could depend on Metallicity of the stars... Is there a correlation? you won't find any rocky planets around type III stars, but there still are hot jupiters around high-metallicity stars...

 

[qraal]

I would also suspect that presence of hot jupiters could depend on Metallicity of the stars... Is there a correlation? you won't find any rocky planets around type III stars, but there still are hot jupiters around high-metallicity stars...

There is a strong correlation between metallicity and the size of planets and the presence of a Hot Jupiter. Just why is under investigation as both the formation models invoked can make such planets, with similar metallicity correlations, from what I have read.

 

[Arch2008]

http://www.deepfly.org/TheNeighborhood/SysArch.html

 

[Nik_2213]

Very useful link, thank you !