Since the discovery of more than 5,000 exoplanets, super-Earths have attracted considerable attention, particularly because they are not often found near the most common stars in the galaxy, known as red dwarfs or M-type stars.

A study recently published in The Astronomical Journal proves that the formation of planets, especially Earth-like ones, is associated with high metal content in the star and the protoplanetary disk surrounding it.

Red dwarfs, which typically have lower metallicities, have less chance of forming planets than stars with higher metallicities. The study found that the probability of super-Earths forming around stars increases if the star has heavier elements. This means that stars rich in metals are more likely to host such planets.

The study, which examined a sample of 10,000 red dwarfs, combined data on the metallicity of the stars with exoplanet catalogs from NASA’s Kepler and TESS missions. The analysis showed a direct relationship between the star’s metal content and the likelihood of super-Earth formation. The results also suggest that the earliest super-Earths likely emerged around seven billion years ago and formed in stars with higher metal content.

Why is this important?

These discoveries not only improve existing models of planetary system formation, but also provide new tools for the search for habitable worlds. By taking the metallicity parameter into account, astronomers can refine their estimates of the distribution of planets in the galaxy, opening new horizons for the search for such worlds.

The authors of the study note that scientists now know that stars with low metal content are not prone to abundant planet formation, meaning the results will help astronomers better understand the origin of planetary systems and increase the accuracy of detecting exoplanets in the future.