On the Semimajor Axis Distribution of Extrasolar Gas Giant Planets: Why Hot Jupiters Are Rare Around High-Mass Stars

Abstract

Based on a suite of Monte Carlo simulations, I show that a stellar-mass dependent lifetime of the gas disks from which planets form can explain the lack of hot Jupiters/close-in giant planets around high-mass stars and other key features of the observed semimajor axis distribution of radial velocity-detected giant planets. Using reasonable parameters for the Type II migration rate, regions of planet formation, and timescales for gas giant core formation, I construct synthetic distributions of jovian planets. A planet formation/migration model assuming a stellar mass-dependent gas disk lifetime reproduces key features in the observed distribution by preferentially stranding planets around high-mass stars at large semimajor axes.

13 pages, 3 figures, 1 table; matched to published version & references updated, published in ApJ Letters