Understand
As of August 2008, over 30 multiple exoplanet systems are known, and 28% of stars with planets show significant evidence of a second companion.
- I briefly review these 30 systems individually, broadly grouping them into five categories: 1) systems with 3 or more giant (Msini > 0.2 M_Jup) planets, 2) systems with two giant planets in mean motion resonance (MMR), 3) systems with two giant planets not in MMR but whose dynamical evolution is affected by planet-planet interactions, 4) highly hierarchical systems, having two giant planets with very large period ratios (> 30:1), and 5) systems of ``Super-Earths'', containing only planets with (Msini < 20 M_Earth).
- It now appears that eccentricities are not markedly higher among planets in known multiple planet systems, and that planets with Msini < 1 M_Jup have lower eccentricities than more massive planets.
- The distribution of semimajor axes for planets in multiplanet systems does not show the 3-day pile-up or the 1 AU "jump" of the apparently-single planet distribution.