The K2-3 System Revisited: Testing Photoevaporation and Core-powered Mass Loss with Three Small Planets Spanning the Radius Valley
Hannah Diamond-Lowe, Laura Kreidberg, Chester E. Harman, Eliza M.-R. Kempton, Leslie A. Rogers, Simon Joyce, Jason D. Eastman, George W. King, Ravi Kopparapu, Allison Youngblood, Molly Kosiarek, John H. Livingston, Kevin K. Hardegree-Ullman, Ian J. M. Crossfield
Abstract
Abstract Multiplanet systems orbiting M dwarfs provide valuable tests of theories of small-planet formation and evolution. K2-3 is an early M dwarf hosting three small exoplanets (1.5–2.0 R ⊕ ) at distances of 0.07–0.20 au. We measure the high-energy spectrum of K2-3 with HST/COS and XMM-Newton and use empirically driven estimates of Ly α and extreme-ultraviolet flux. We use EXOFASTv2 to jointly fit radial velocity, transit, and spectral energy distribution data. This constrains the K2-3 planet radii to 4% uncertainty and the masses of K2-3b and c to 13% and 30%, respectively; K2-3d is not detected in radial velocity measurements. K2-3b and c are consistent with rocky cores surrounded by solar composition envelopes (mass fractions of <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" overflow="scroll"> <mml:msubsup> <mml:mrow> <mml:mn>0.36</mml:mn> </mml:mrow> <mml:mrow> <mml:mo>−</mml:mo> <mml:mn>0.11</mml:mn> </mml:mrow> <mml:mrow> <mml:mo>+</mml:mo> <mml:mn>0.14</mml:mn> </mml:mrow> </mml:msubsup> <mml:mo>%</mml:mo> </mml:math> and <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" overflow="scroll"> <mml:msubsup> <mml:mrow> <mml:mn>0.07</mml:mn> </mml:mrow> <mml:mrow> <mml:mo>−</mml:mo> <mml:mn>0.05</mml:mn> </mml:mrow> <mml:mrow> <mml:mo>+</mml:mo> <mml:mn>0.09</mml:mn> </mml:mrow> </mml:msubsup> <mml:mo>%</mml:mo> </mml:math> ), H 2 O envelopes ( <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" overflow="scroll"> <mml:msubsup> <mml:mrow> <mml:mn>55</mml:mn> </mml:mrow> <mml:mrow> <mml:mo>−</mml:mo> <mml:mn>12</mml:mn> </mml:mrow> <mml:mrow> <mml:mo>+</mml:mo> <mml:mn>14</mml:mn> </mml:mrow> </mml:msubsup> <mml:mo>%</mml:mo> </mml:math> and <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" overflow="scroll"> <mml:msubsup> <mml:mrow> <mml:mn>16</mml:mn> </mml:mrow> <mml:mrow> <mml:mo>−</mml:mo> <mml:mn>10</mml:mn> </mml:mrow> <mml:mrow> <mml:mo>+</mml:mo> <mml:mn>17</mml:mn> </mml:mrow> </mml:msubsup> <mml:mo>%</mml:mo> </mml:math> ), or a mixture of both. However, based on the high-energy output and estimated age of K2-3, it is unlikely that K2-3b and c retain solar composition atmospheres. We pass the planet parameters and high-energy stellar spectrum to atmospheric models. Dialing the high-energy spectrum up and down by a factor of 10 produces significant changes in trace molecule abundances, but not at a level detectable with transmission spectroscopy. Though the K2-3 planets span the small-planet radius valley, the observed system architecture cannot be readily explained by photoevaporation or core-powered mass loss. We instead propose that (1) the K2-3 planets are all volatile-rich, with K2-3d having a lower density than typical of super-Earths, and/or (2) the K2-3 planet architecture results from stochastic processes such as planet formation, planet migration, and impact erosion.