Question

Why is the radial velocity method of exoplanet detection biased toward finding hot Jupiters?

a) Hot Jupiters are so much hotter than other types of planets that they produce much more light and are therefore easier to see.
b) Hot Jupiters are far more common than any other type of planet, so it's just a coincidence that we happen to find many of them.
c) Hot Jupiters are massive and orbit close to their parent stars, so their large forces of gravity cause their parent stars to wobble more than do the forces from other planets.
d) Hot Jupiters are larger than most other types of planets, so they block out more light from their parent stars.
e) Hot Jupiters are easier to see because they reflect more light from their parent stars than do other types of planets.

Answer 1

The radial velocity method favors the detection of hot Jupiters because their large mass and close orbits cause significant gravitational effects on their stars, leading to observable Doppler shifts in a shorter amount of time.

Step-by-step explanation:

The radial velocity method of exoplanet detection is biased toward finding hot Jupiters because these planets are massive and orbit close to their parent stars. This proximity and massiveness lead to significant gravitational forces causing the stars to exhibit noticeable wobbles in their motion. These wobbles correspond to the largest Doppler shifts in the star's spectrum, making such exoplanets more detectable with this method. Additionally, since hot Jupiters have shorter orbital periods due to their closeness to the stars, they complete orbits faster, allowing astronomers to observe a full orbital cycle in a shorter timeframe.