Exam-style question
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What is a key limitation of the radial velocity method for detecting exoplanets?.
- A.It can only detect large planets
- B.It requires very bright stars
- C.It cannot determine the planet's atmosphere
- D.It is affected by stellar activity
Model answer
What a good answer should say
- It is affected by stellar activity
Explanation
Why this works
The evidence shows that stellar activity, such as spots and flares, can cause variations in the star's spectral lines, leading to false positives in the detection of exoplanets. This implies that the radial velocity method may misinterpret these variations as planetary motion.
Therefore, the limitation is that it is affected by stellar activity, which can complicate the analysis.
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