Densities of small planets around the M dwarfs TOI-4336 A and TOI-4342 with ESPRESSO: Three sub-Neptunes, one super-Earth, and a Neptune-mass candidate

Abstract

We present the characterization of two planetary systems orbiting the M dwarfs TOI-4336 A (M3.5V) and TOI-4342 (M0V), each hosting two transiting planets previously validated with TESS and ground-based observations. We refined the photometry of the TOI-4342 system using TESS and LCOGT data, and characterized the host stars with NIRPS and ESPRESSO spectroscopy. High-precision ESPRESSO radial velocities allowed us to constrain the planetary masses and investigate their potential compositions. The TOI-4336 A system is composed of a sub-Neptune with a period of 16.34 days, a radius of $2.14\pm 0.08$ Re, and a mass of $3.33\pm 0.36$ Me, along with an inner super-Earth on a 7.59-day orbit with a radius of $1.25\pm 0.07$ Re and a mass of $1.55\pm 0.13$ Me. The TOI-4342 system hosts two sub-Neptunes of similar sizes ($2.33\pm 0.09$ Re and $2.35\pm 0.09$ Re), with periods of 5.54 and 10.69 days. Their masses are measured to be $7.3\pm 1.3$ Me and $4.8\pm 1.4$ Me, respectively. The RVs also reveal a planet candidate around TOI-4342, likely non-transiting, with a period of 47.5 days and a minimum mass of $17.8\pm 3.0$ Me. With precise radii and masses, we derived bulk densities and explored possible compositions. The TOI-4336 A sub-Neptune and super-Earth have densities of $1.87\pm 0.30$ and $4.35\pm 0.79$ g cm${}^{-3}$, while the two similar-sized sub-Neptunes in TOI-4342 show distinct densities of $3.18\pm 0.67$ and $2.01\pm 0.63$ g cm${}^{-3}$. All four planets are excellent targets for future atmospheric characterization with JWST, and their multi-planet nature makes them especially interesting for comparative planetology. Notably, TOI-4336 A b stands out as one of the best-known targets in its size and temperature regime, with a TSM of 138, comparable to benchmark planets such as K2-18 b and LHS 1140 b.

21 pages, 15 figures. Accepted for publication in A&A, version with language corrections. Full abstract in the article. The data used in this study can be downloaded and visualized on the DACE platform: https://dace.unige.ch/openData/?record=10.82180/dace-pwgeam18