Parent Stars of Extrasolar Planets. IV. 14 Herculis, HD 187123, and HD 210277

Spectroscopic analyses of 14 Her, HD 187123, and HD 210277, recently reported to harbor planets, reveal that these stars are metal rich. We find [Fe/H]=0.50+/-0.05, 0.16+/-0.05, and 0.24+/-0.05 for 14 Her, HD 187123, and HD 210277, respectively. This is the first spectroscopic analysis of HD 187123; our results for 14 Her and HD 210277 are in agreement with published studies. It is shown that 14 Her and ρ¹ Cnc are nearly identical in their bulk physical characteristics. This result, combined with their extreme metallicities, suggests that their physical parameters have been affected by the process that formed their planets. These two stars join a group of about half a dozen stars in the solar neighborhood with [Fe/H]>=0.4. It is also shown that 51 Peg and HD 187123, which have companions with similar orbital periods and masses, are nearly identical. We find vsini~2.0 km s^-1 for HD 210277 from a high-resolution spectrum.

Based on observations obtained at the W. M. Keck Observatory, which is operated jointly by the University of California and the California Institute of Technology, and the National Solar Observatory, Tucson, AZ, administered by AURA, Inc., for the NSF.