TESS Hunt for Young and Maturing Exoplanets (THYME). XII. A Young Mini-Neptune on the Upper Edge of the Radius Valley in the Hyades Cluster
Vanderburg, Andrew;
Quinn, Samuel N.;
Howell, Steve B.;
Ziegler, Carl;
Collins, Karen A.;
Seager, Sara;
Winn, Joshua N.;
Jenkins, Jon M.;
Kraus, Adam L.;
Barkaoui, Khalid;
Mann, Andrew W.;
Twicken, Joseph D.;
Schwarz, Richard P.;
Becker, Juliette;
Briceño, César;
Turner, Jake D.;
Kerr, Ronan;
Schulte, Jack;
Conti, Dennis;
Limbach, Mary Anne;
Soares-Furtado, Melinda;
Distler, Adam
United States, Canada, Belgium, Spain, Chile
Abstract
We present the discovery and characterization of TOI-4364b, a young mini-Neptune in the tidal tails of the Hyades cluster, identified through TESS transit observations and ground-based follow-up photometry. The planet orbits a bright M dwarf (K = 9.1 mag) at a distance of 44 pc, with an orbital period of 5.42 days and an equilibrium temperature of K. The host star's well-constrained age of 710 Myr makes TOI-4364b an exceptional target for studying early planetary evolution around low-mass stars. We determined a planetary radius of , indicating that this planet is situated near the upper edge of the radius valley. This suggests that the planet retains a modest H/He envelope. As a result, TOI-4364b provides a unique opportunity to explore the transition between rocky super-Earths and gas-rich mini-Neptunes at the early stages of evolution. Its radius, which may still evolve as a result of ongoing atmospheric cooling, contraction, and photoevaporation, further enhances its significance for understanding planetary development. Furthermore, TOI-4364b's moderately high transmission spectroscopy metric of 44.2 positions it as a viable candidate for atmospheric characterization with instruments such as JWST. This target has the potential to offer crucial insights into atmospheric retention and loss in young planetary systems.
2025
•
The Astronomical Journal
Gaia
1
