Characterizing Young Puffy Planets Detected via Transit

Amalia Karalis ( Université McGill )

Theories explaining the origins of hot Jupiters propose various mechanisms for the presence of such massive planets so close to their host stars. It is unlikely that these planets formed in situ, which suggests that some migration mechanism must be responsible for the existence of these short period giants. We study a population of young (< 1 Gyr), puffy planets detected via transit by Kepler (K2) and the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS). Using planetary interior structure models, we obtain a theoretical mass constraint on these planets to understand whether they are massive hot Jupiters or smaller, Neptune mass planets with puffed-up atmospheres. This constraint will provide key insights into the characterization of these young planets, allowing for a deeper understanding of their formation.