All articles tagged with #neptunian desert
Astronomers using the ATREIDES program studied the TOI-421 system, revealing a chaotic history with misaligned planetary orbits, which may explain the scarcity of hot Neptunes close to stars. The research suggests that planetary migration processes, including violent ejections, shape the distribution of Neptune-sized exoplanets and the structure of the Neptunian desert, savanna, and ridge regions.
Astronomers have discovered a Neptune-type exoplanet, LTT 9779 b, that has managed to retain its atmosphere despite being located in the Neptunian Desert, where most planets lose their atmospheres due to intense radiation from their host stars. The planet's survival can be attributed to its host star's unusually low X-ray emissions, which are generated by its slow rotation. The research supports the theory that photoevaporation, driven by X-ray radiation, is responsible for the lack of Neptune-size planets in close proximity to their stars. The findings also highlight the importance of a planet's internal structure and its ability to counteract the effects of photoevaporation in determining its atmospheric retention.