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Preparing for the Early eVolution Explorer: Detecting the Primordial, Transiting Exoplanet Population

  • Authors: George Zhou, James G. Rogers, Jennifer A. Burt, Eve J. Lee, Sydney Vach, Ann Marie Cody, Mark Swain, Neal J. Turner, Andrew W. Mann, Madyson G. Barber, Eric Gaidos, Ward Howard, Laura Venuti, Damon F. Landau, Valerie Scott, Alan Didion, David Makowski, Jamie Nastal, Evgenya L. Shkolnik, Meredith A. MacGregor

George Zhou et al 2026 The Astronomical Journal 172 .

  • Provider: AAS Journals

Caption: Figure 1.

The small planet population can be explained by competing hypotheses. Planets may form with substantial, low mean-molecular-weight atmospheres (gas dwarfs). Depending on when the gas envelope was accreted, these planets may undergo rapid radial evolution during the first 100 million years due to the combined atmospheric escape effects of boil-off, contraction, and photoevaporation. Planets may also form with volatile-rich, higher mean-molecular-weight envelopes (water worlds). Such planets undergo far less radial evolution within this time frame. The densities and radii of two populations are degenerate by the mature ages sampled by the Kepler and TESS missions. Targeting planets around known star-forming regions and young associations can statistically differentiate between these two scenarios.

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