Methodology

Our full methodology will be reported in Wright et al. (2010), in preparation.

Orbital parameters:

We record the published fundamental observables of single-lined spectroscopic binaries: period, RV semiamplude, and eccentricity, argument of periastron, and time of periastron passage. In a few cases of multiple planet systems, the best orbital parameters come from dynamical fits, and in a small number of cases (e.g. GJ 876) planet-planet interactions cause these elements to detectably evolve with time. In those cases where osculating elements for the planets are reported, we have recorded those, and the epoch at which they are valid can be found in the reference cited in ORBREF.

Where uncertainties in orbital elements are not reported in the literature, they remain undefined in our table.

m sin(i)

From the orbital parameters and the mass of the host star we calculate the "minimum mass" of the planet from the mass function, as described in Butler et al. 2006. Note that we calculate this quantity separately for each planet in a multiplanet system, as though it were a singleton planet. For simplicity and consistency, we always denote this quantity "m sin(i)", though strictly speaking it is simply the minimum value for the planet's mass as calculated from the mass function.

m sini will occasionally differ from the values listed in the paper cited in ORBREF. The most common reason for this is that we have adopted a different stellar mass than that listed in ORBREF. In other cases, inclinations are known from transits, or constrained through astrometry or dynamical considerations. At present, our database does not include these constraints. In a small number of cases m sin (i) was misreported in the original paper.

a

We calculate orbital semimajor axes directly from Kepler's Third Law in all cases. In cases where it differs from literature values, the usual culprit is that we have adopted a different stellar mass.

Radial velocities and orbital fit

The orbital fit parameters refer to the fit in ORBREF and the listed orbital parameters. The corresponding RV curve is displayed in the upper-left of each planet's minipage, which can be accessed by clicking on a planet's name. The radial velocities in this plot are not necessarily those of the orbital reference, but are representative velocities collected from NStED. This feature is not fully supported -- for many stars, including binaries, certain multiplanet systems, and those for which no velocities are published or otherwise available in NStED, no plot is shown.

Parallaxes

We have adopted the van Leeuwen (2008) parallaxes (from a rereduction of the Hipparcos data) for most stars.

Transiting planets

We have recorded the fundamental photometric transit parameters and some derived quantities as they appear in the literature. In some cases we calculate time of periastron passage and the argument of periastron, planetary density, planetary gravity, or the impact parameter where those elements are not listed explicitly.

Radius, density and gravity

Where available, we record the published radius, density, gravity for transiting planets from TRANSITREF, and do not attempt to recompute them from the transit parameters except where they are not otherwise available. Therefore, these values may be inconsistent with the mass derived from MSINI and the inclination because our MSINI values may have been computed from different spectroscopic orbital parameters or assuming a different stellar mass.

Uncertainties

We have recorded literature uncertainties in stellar masses, but when estimating uncertainties in msini and a we conservatively assume a minimum uncertainty in stellar mass of 5%. We do this to account for likely systematic errors in model estimates of stellar masses (limits in their accuracy) for most planet-bearing stars.

FIRSTREF

The "first reference" field cites the first peer-reviewed journal article to contain a robust orbital solution and/or radial velocities documenting the existence of the planet. In many cases this does not correspond to the first public announcement of a planet's existence, which may have been by press release, in conference proceedings, or by reference in another paper. A list of planet discoveries, confirmations, and discovery claims is available at http://obswww.unige.ch/~naef/who_discovered_that_planet.html.

Magnitudes, Coordinates, and Misc.

JHK photometry is from the 2MASS point source catalog (Skrutskie et al. 2006). In most cases coordinates come from the van Leeuwen (2008) rereduction of the Hipparcos data. B and V magnitudes are heterogeneous, coming variously from the Hipparcos catalog, SIMBAD, and other literature sources, and so are not strictly all on the same scale. Chromospheric activity measurements are from various sources, usually planet discovery papers plus references cited in Butler et al. (2006).