Nature of super-Earths: rocky or gaseous

Determine whether super-Earth exoplanets, defined as planets with sizes between Earth and Neptune, are giant rocky planets or small gaseous planets.

Background

The paper notes that many detected exoplanets have radii between those of Earth and Neptune and lack Solar System analogs. These "super-Earths" are difficult to classify because current observations often cannot unambiguously determine whether they possess predominantly rocky interiors or substantial gaseous envelopes.

Clarifying the nature of super-Earths is important for understanding planetary system architectures, formation pathways, and habitability, and it relates to broader challenges such as mass–radius degeneracies and limitations in direct compositional measurements.