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Examining the Radius Valley: a Machine Learning Approach
Earth and Planetary Astrophysics · Submitted 28 May 2019
abstract compiled · 2026-09-23 · no language-model review
The authors' main claim For all methods we use, the resulting line has a negative slope, which is consistent with models of photoevaporation and core-powered mass loss but inconsistent with planets forming in a gas-poor disk.
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The abstract, sentence by sentence
The ''radius valley" is a relative dearth of planets between two potential populations of exoplanets, super-Earths and mini-Neptunes. This feature appears in examining the distribution of planetary radii, but has only ever been characterized on small samples. The valley could be a result of photoevaporation, which has been predicted in numerous theoretical models, or a result of other processes. Here, we investigate the relationship between planetary radius and orbital period through 2-dimensional kernel density estimator and various clustering methods, using all known super-Earths ($R<4.0R_E$). With our larger sample, we confirm the radius valley and characterize it as a power law. Using a variety of methods, we find a range of slopes that are consistent with each other and distinctly negative. We average over these results and find the slope to be $m=-0.319^{+0.088}_{-0.116}$. We repeat our analysis on samples from previous studies. For all methods we use, the resulting line has a negative slope, which is consistent with models of photoevaporation and core-powered mass loss but inconsistent with planets forming in a gas-poor disk.
background contribution method result interpretation main claim
| # | sentence | role | the authors' own work | states the main conclusion | strength |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| s0 | The ''radius valley" is a relative dearth of planets between two potential populations of exoplanets, super-Earths and mini-Neptunes. | background 1.00 | 0.04 | 0.02 | asserted 1.00 |
| s1 | This feature appears in examining the distribution of planetary radii, but has only ever been characterized on small samples. | gap 0.94 | 0.08 | 0.02 | asserted 1.00 |
| s2 | The valley could be a result of photoevaporation, which has been predicted in numerous theoretical models, or a result of other processes. | background 0.99 | 0.03 | 0.03 | hedged possibility 1.00 |
| s3 | Here, we investigate the relationship between planetary radius and orbital period through 2-dimensional kernel density estimator and various clustering methods, using all known super-Earths ($R<4.0R_E$). | method 0.85 | 0.96 | 0.04 | asserted 0.95 |
| s4 | With our larger sample, we confirm the radius valley and characterize it as a power law. | result 1.00 | 0.97 | 0.40 | asserted 1.00 |
| s5 | Using a variety of methods, we find a range of slopes that are consistent with each other and distinctly negative. | result 1.00 | 0.97 | 0.17 | asserted 1.00 |
| s6 | We average over these results and find the slope to be $m=-0.319^{+0.088}_{-0.116}$. | result 1.00 | 0.98 | 0.28 | asserted 1.00 |
| s7 | We repeat our analysis on samples from previous studies. | method 0.90 | 0.91 | 0.02 | asserted 0.68 |
| s8 | For all methods we use, the resulting line has a negative slope, which is consistent with models of photoevaporation and core-powered mass loss but inconsistent with planets forming in a gas-poor disk. | interpretation 0.92 | 0.86 | 0.42 | asserted 0.72 |
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Original abstract
The ''radius valley" is a relative dearth of planets between two potential populations of exoplanets, super-Earths and mini-Neptunes. This feature appears in examining the distribution of planetary radii, but has only ever been characterized on small samples. The valley could be a result of photoevaporation, which has been predicted in numerous theoretical models, or a result of other processes. Here, we investigate the relationship between planetary radius and orbital period through 2-dimensional kernel density estimator and various clustering methods, using all known super-Earths ($R<4.0R_E$). With our larger sample, we confirm the radius valley and characterize it as a power law. Using a variety of methods, we find a range of slopes that are consistent with each other and distinctly negative. We average over these results and find the slope to be $m=-0.319^{+0.088}_{-0.116}$. We repeat our analysis on samples from previous studies. For all methods we use, the resulting line has a negative slope, which is consistent with models of photoevaporation and core-powered mass loss but inconsistent with planets forming in a gas-poor disk.
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Cites as background 1 paper
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There are a few possible explanations for this radius valley aside from mass loss by photoevaporation, including sculpting by giant impacts [ref] , core-powered mass loss [ref] , and planets forming late in a gas-poor disk [ref] .
Core-powered mass loss and the radius distribution of small exoplanets · Introduction · 0.96
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