Microlensing events indicate that super-Earth exoplanets are common in Jupiter-like orbits.

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Title: Microlensing events indicate that super-Earth exoplanets are common in Jupiter-like orbits.
Authors: Zang, Weicheng, Jung, Youn Kil, Yee, Jennifer C., Hwang, Kyu-Ha, Yang, Hongjing, Udalski, Andrzej, Sumi, Takahiro, Gould, Andrew, Mao, Shude, Albrow, Michael D., Chung, Sun-Ju, Han, Cheongho, Ryu, Yoon-Hyun, Shin, In-Gu, Shvartzvald, Yossi, Cha, Sang-Mok, Kim, Dong-Jin, Kim, Hyoun-Woo, Kim, Seung-Lee, Lee, Chung-Uk
Source: Science. 4/25/2025, Vol. 388 Issue 6745, p400-404. 5p.
Subjects: Extrasolar planets, Microlensing (Astrophysics), Jupiter's orbit, Saturn (Planet), Earth (Planet)
Abstract: Exoplanets classified as super-Earths are commonly observed on short-period orbits, close to their host stars, but their abundance on wider orbits is poorly constrained. Gravitational microlensing is sensitive to exoplanets on wide orbits. We observed the microlensing event OGLE-2016-BLG-0007, which indicates an exoplanet with a planet-to-star mass ratio roughly double the Earth-Sun mass ratio, on an orbit longer than Saturn's. We combined this event with a larger sample from a microlensing survey to determine the distribution of mass ratios for planets on wide orbits. We infer that there are ~0.35 super-Earth planets per star on Jupiter-like orbits. The observations are most consistent with a bimodal distribution, with separate peaks for super-Earths and gas giants. We suggest that this reflects differences in their formation processes. Editor's summary: Gravitational microlensing occurs when a foreground star passes between Earth and a background star, focusing light and causing an apparent increase in brightness. If the foreground star has an orbiting planet, then a second, briefer brightness increase can occur. Zang et al. identified a microlensing event due to an exoplanet with a planet/star mass ratio between those of Earth and Neptune. They combined this object with a larger sample of planets detected using microlensing to constrain the abundance and population distribution of planets on Jupiter-like orbits. They found a bimodal distribution, which they interpreted as reflecting the formation mechanisms. —Keith T. Smith [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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  Data: Microlensing events indicate that super-Earth exoplanets are common in Jupiter-like orbits.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Zang%2C+Weicheng%22">Zang, Weicheng</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Jung%2C+Youn+Kil%22">Jung, Youn Kil</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Yee%2C+Jennifer+C%2E%22">Yee, Jennifer C.</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Hwang%2C+Kyu-Ha%22">Hwang, Kyu-Ha</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Yang%2C+Hongjing%22">Yang, Hongjing</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Udalski%2C+Andrzej%22">Udalski, Andrzej</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Sumi%2C+Takahiro%22">Sumi, Takahiro</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Gould%2C+Andrew%22">Gould, Andrew</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Mao%2C+Shude%22">Mao, Shude</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Albrow%2C+Michael+D%2E%22">Albrow, Michael D.</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Chung%2C+Sun-Ju%22">Chung, Sun-Ju</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Han%2C+Cheongho%22">Han, Cheongho</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Ryu%2C+Yoon-Hyun%22">Ryu, Yoon-Hyun</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Shin%2C+In-Gu%22">Shin, In-Gu</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Shvartzvald%2C+Yossi%22">Shvartzvald, Yossi</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Cha%2C+Sang-Mok%22">Cha, Sang-Mok</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Kim%2C+Dong-Jin%22">Kim, Dong-Jin</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Kim%2C+Hyoun-Woo%22">Kim, Hyoun-Woo</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Kim%2C+Seung-Lee%22">Kim, Seung-Lee</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Lee%2C+Chung-Uk%22">Lee, Chung-Uk</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Science%22">Science</searchLink>. 4/25/2025, Vol. 388 Issue 6745, p400-404. 5p.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Extrasolar+planets%22">Extrasolar planets</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Microlensing+%28Astrophysics%29%22">Microlensing (Astrophysics)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Jupiter's+orbit%22">Jupiter's orbit</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Saturn+%28Planet%29%22">Saturn (Planet)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Earth+%28Planet%29%22">Earth (Planet)</searchLink>
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: Exoplanets classified as super-Earths are commonly observed on short-period orbits, close to their host stars, but their abundance on wider orbits is poorly constrained. Gravitational microlensing is sensitive to exoplanets on wide orbits. We observed the microlensing event OGLE-2016-BLG-0007, which indicates an exoplanet with a planet-to-star mass ratio roughly double the Earth-Sun mass ratio, on an orbit longer than Saturn's. We combined this event with a larger sample from a microlensing survey to determine the distribution of mass ratios for planets on wide orbits. We infer that there are ~0.35 super-Earth planets per star on Jupiter-like orbits. The observations are most consistent with a bimodal distribution, with separate peaks for super-Earths and gas giants. We suggest that this reflects differences in their formation processes. Editor's summary: Gravitational microlensing occurs when a foreground star passes between Earth and a background star, focusing light and causing an apparent increase in brightness. If the foreground star has an orbiting planet, then a second, briefer brightness increase can occur. Zang et al. identified a microlensing event due to an exoplanet with a planet/star mass ratio between those of Earth and Neptune. They combined this object with a larger sample of planets detected using microlensing to constrain the abundance and population distribution of planets on Jupiter-like orbits. They found a bimodal distribution, which they interpreted as reflecting the formation mechanisms. —Keith T. Smith [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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  Data: <i>Copyright of Science is the property of American Association for the Advancement of Science and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
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        Value: 10.1126/science.adn6088
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        Text: English
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      – SubjectFull: Extrasolar planets
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Microlensing (Astrophysics)
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      – SubjectFull: Jupiter's orbit
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