![Atmospheric evolution with and without a post-disk giant impact. Panel 1: The common initial state for a rocky planet with a hydrogen-rich atmosphere. Panels 2a–4a: A giant impact deposits energy into the mantle and core, but the increase in gravitational binding energy dominates, allowing the planet to retain its hydrogen-rich atmosphere and evolve into a sub-Neptune (1.75−3.5 R⊕). Panels 2b–4b: In the absence of such an impact, the planet is less massive, loses its primordial atmosphere under sustained stellar irradiation, and becomes a super-Earth (1−1.75 R⊕). -- [astro-ph.EP]](https://i0.wp.com/astrobiology.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/Retention.png?resize=1200%2C720&ssl=1)
[astro-ph.EP] Rocky planets the size of Earth or larger are expected to undergo one or more giant impacts during the final stages of their formation.
astrogology
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