Due to geometric limitations, what measured quantity does the radial velocity method provide for an exoplanet's mass?
Answer
Minimum mass ($M ext{ sin } i$)
Since the Doppler shift only measures motion along the line of sight, the measured velocity is scaled by the sine of the inclination angle ($i$). Therefore, the resulting mass calculated is the minimum mass ($M_p ext{ sin } i$).
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Observatory Online: Exoplanets and the Radial Velocity Method
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