Abstract The chemical abundance of host stars plays a pivotal role in shaping the formation history of planetary systems, yet the influence of elements beyond iron remains poorly understood. Here, we investigate the relationship between the carbon-to-oxygen (C/O) ratio of host stars and the orbital periods of giant planets. By analyzing high-resolution spectroscopic data from 598 planet-hosting stars (hosting 929 planets) across the Sloan Digital Sky Survey, Keck, and HARPS surveys, we identify a correlation; stars with higher C/O ratios are more likely to host longer-period giant planets. Theoretical models of pebble-driven planet formation and migration further support this observation, demonstrating that elevated C/O ratios enhance solid material availability at outer disk regions, promoting giant planet formation at larger distances and subsequent moderate inward migration. Our findings establish stellar C/O as a critical factor in shaping the orbital architecture of giant planets, bridging disk chemistry to planetary system evolution.
Zhang et al. (Mon,) studied this question.
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