Downloads provided by UsageCounts
Characterizing the bulk compositions of transiting exoplanets within the M dwarf radius valley offers a means to establish whether the rocky/enveloped transition emerges from an atmospheric mass loss process or is imprinted by the planet formation itself. We present the confirmation of one such planet around an early M dwarf: TOI-1695 b (P=3.13 days, R=1.87 +0.15 −0.13) whose radius and orbital period situate the planet within the M dwarf radius valley between model predictions from thermally-driven mass loss versus gas-depleted formation, thus making the system an important testbed for emergence models of the rocky/enveloped transition around early M dwarfs. We confirm the planet by analyzing four sectors of TESS data jointly with 46 precise radial velocity measurements taken with the HARPS-N spectrograph. We measure a planetary mass of 6.39 +0.98 −1.0 , which reveals that TOI-1695 b is not consistent with a purely terrestrial composition of iron and magnesium silicate, and instead requires the presence of a low-density component such as water and/or a H/He envelope. Our finding that TOI-1695 b is not purely rocky is not consistent with the M dwarf radius valley being sculpted by a thermally-driven mass loss process and instead favors a gas-depleted formation scenario.
radius valley, keystone planet, m dwarf, planetary formation, radius gap
radius valley, keystone planet, m dwarf, planetary formation, radius gap
| selected citations These citations are derived from selected sources. This is an alternative to the "Influence" indicator, which also reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically). | 0 | |
| popularity This indicator reflects the "current" impact/attention (the "hype") of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network. | Average | |
| influence This indicator reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically). | Average | |
| impulse This indicator reflects the initial momentum of an article directly after its publication, based on the underlying citation network. | Average |
| views | 9 | |
| downloads | 8 |

Views provided by UsageCounts
Downloads provided by UsageCounts