How Atmospheric Escape Shapes Sub-Neptune Planet Populations
Published on:
27 September 2023
Primary Category:
Earth and Planetary Astrophysics
Paper Authors:
Isaac Malsky,
Leslie Rogers,
Eliza M. R. Kempton,
Nadejda Marounina
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Key Details
Sub-Neptune planets likely formed early and accreted hydrogen-helium envelopes
XUV irradiation can strip away these primordial atmospheres over time
Preferential hydrogen loss leaves some planets helium-enhanced
Helium enhancement occurs along the upper edge of the radius valley
Transmission spectra of helium-rich atmospheres have unique features
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AI generated summary
How Atmospheric Escape Shapes Sub-Neptune Planet Populations
This paper models the evolution of sub-Neptune exoplanets undergoing atmospheric escape over billions of years. It finds that the cumulative effects of preferential hydrogen loss can leave some planets with helium-dominated atmospheres, providing an observational signature of photoevaporation sculpting the radius valley.
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