![Schematic showing the thermal and atmospheric escape evolution of two interpretations of sub-Neptune interiors. In a standard planetary model, a silicate interior is distinct from a hydrogen-rich envelope. As the planet contracts, hydrogen is removed from the upper atmosphere via stellar heating, and the interior-envelope boundary does not significantly contract with time. The temperature at this interface can reach of order ∼ 10, 000 K at early ages. In the miscible model, the interior-envelope boundary is defined by a binodal surface, which delineates regions in which hydrogen and silicate are miscible or immiscible. The temperature at the binodal surface does not change significantly with time. The radial position of the binodal surface contracts with time, exsolving hydrogen into the base of the envelope, while hydrogen is also removed from the top of the upper atmosphere.-- [astro-ph.EP]](https://i0.wp.com/astrobiology.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Testing-the.png?resize=1200%2C716&ssl=1)
[astro-ph.EP] Hydrogen-silicate miscibility can significantly alter the interior structure and thermal evolution of sub-Neptunes. We consider the interplay between this miscibility and stellar-driven atmospheric escape.
TESS
Posted inExoplanets, -moons, -comets
First Completed Rocky Worlds Program Observations Open New Era in Exoplanet Studies
[STScI] Scientists leading the astronomy community’s most ambitious effort to study rocky planets outside of our solar system have reached a major milestone.
Posted inExoplanets, -moons, -comets
Ultra-Precise Astrometric Search For Exoplanets With SKA-VLBI
[astro-ph.EP] The study of exoplanets is a rapidly developing field, driven by the discoveries of Kepler and TESS, among others. The recent detection of Jovian planetary companions of low-mass stars […]
Posted inExoplanets, -moons, -comets
The GAPS Programme at TNG LXXIV. A Reanalysis Of The Planetary Systems TOI-1272 And TOI-1694 With HARPS-N And Retraction Of The Planetary Interpretation Of TOI-1272 c
[astro-ph.EP] Hot Neptunes are close-in exoplanets that occupy a sparsely populated region of parameter space known as the “hot-Neptune desert”.
Posted inUncategorized
TESS Reveals The Puffiest Exoplanets Ever Found
Data from NASA’s TESS (Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite) mission has revealed two new “super-puff” planets, giant worlds so light that their density is comparable to cotton candy. Scientists calculate that […]
Posted inAstronomy & Telescopes, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Status Report, Stellar Cartography
COUNTESS I: A Uniformly Vetted Catalog of Known and New Transiting Exoplanets in the TESS Northern Continuous Viewing Zone
The Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) has transformed the study of nearby exoplanetary systems; however, its nominal observing strategy limits sensitivity to planets with orbital periods shorter than ∼10 days […]
Posted inAstrochemistry, Astronomy & Telescopes, Atmospheres, Climate, Weather, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Habitable Zones, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Press Release, Stellar Cartography
Finding Patterns in Planets: Researchers Explore the Demographics of Alien Worlds in K2 Data
Our galaxy is jam-packed with planets, with thousands already discovered and millions more expected to eventually come into view. Within this ever-growing bounty, surprises have abounded, revealing that our solar […]
Posted inExoplanets, -moons, -comets, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Missions & Hardware, Status Report, Water/Hycean Worlds & Oceanography
Preparing for the Early eVolution Explorer: Detecting the Primordial, Transiting Exoplanet Population
The close-in small planet population may be formed either with hydrogen/helium dominated envelopes or with water-rich interiors. Both scenarios reproduce the present day planet population in mass, radius, and periods, […]
Posted inAstronomy & Telescopes, Exploration Gear & Tech, Press Release
The Mass of TOI-1883 b: A Low Density Super-Neptune In The Ridge Regime Transiting An Early-M dwarf
Recent large-scale transit surveys conducted by space telescopes such as Kepler and TESS have revealed a vast number of exoplanets, uncovering the diversity of their population.
Posted inAstronomy & Telescopes, Career Opportunities, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Status Report
Rocky Worlds DDT Community Involvement Initiative (CII)
The Rocky Worlds DDT Core Implementation Team is pleased to announce the launch of a new, community-led effort to enable collaboration and coordination around Rocky Worlds DDT science: the Rocky […]