Rings in Protoplanetary Disks Enable Exoplanet Mass Estimation (heise.de)

• Correlation found between ring brightness peak location and planet mass.
• Method validated on exoplanet PDS 70, matching previous estimates.
• Technique allows mass estimation for exoplanets not directly observable.

"Researchers at the University of Warwick have established a mathematical relationship between the brightest part of a ring in protoplanetary dust disks and the mass of the planet causing it. This method allows mass estimation without detailed knowledge of the disk, validated on exoplanet PDS 70. The technique can identify exoplanets too faint or embedded for direct observation and may reveal new ones."