Modeling the Atmospheric Contribution to the Interior Characterization of sub-Neptunes and its Effect on Habitability
<p>As the number of confirmed exoplanets has increased, so too has the diversity in their physical parameters, namely their mass and radius. A common practice is to place these planets on a Mass-Radius diagram with various calculated density curves corresponding to some bulk composition. However, these lines don&#8217;t necessarily correspond to the structure of the planet found using interior models, particularly for low mass planets with masses less than 20 M<sub>&#8853;</sub> and 4 R<sub>&#8853;</sub>, which we call &#8220;sub-Neptunes.&#8221; Planets in this range can have highly degenerate solutions with no solar system analog, from so-called &#8220;ocean worlds&#8221; to small dense cores with extended primary composition atmospheres. We have created a model that is able to cover the range of solutions possible for sub-Neptunes, with various levels of complexity for both the interior and atmosphere. This includes both an isothermal and semi-grey atmosphere, along with a high-pressure solar composition envelope when atmospheric pressures exceed approximately 1000 bar. We then apply this model to known sub-Neptunes located in the extended habitable zone of their star using a hydrogen-helium dominated atmosphere. An atmospheric escape model is used to investigate the longevity of the atmosphere and its effect on the overall habitability of the planet.</p>