Meaning

(astronomy, planetology, of a planet, neologism) Having a water-based ocean that covers the entire planet, and an atmosphere rich in hydrogen..

Example Sentences

With densities between those of rocky super-Earths and more extended mini-Neptunes, Hycean planets can be optimal candidates in the search for exoplanetary habitability and may be abundant in the exoplanet population.

It's thought that the new classification could accelerate the search for life outside our Solar System for one simple reason: planets that fulfil the criteria to be "Hycean" already dominate the known exoplanet population, which is approaching 4,500.

And learning more about Hycean planets could help scientists find biosignatures, or signs of life, outside of our solar system in the near future.

These hydrogen-rich ocean worlds, or hycean worlds, may be habitable.

TOI-2136b is a sub-Neptune transiting a nearby and bright star (J=10.8) and is a potential hycean planet, making it an excellent target for atmospheric studies to understand the formation, evolution, and habitability of the small planets.

While LTT 1445 Ab is not in the traditional habitable zone of its star (Winters et al. 2019), it is considered as a candidate Hycean world where a liquid ocean may exist underneath a H₂-dominated atmosphere.

Related Words

When Should You Use Hycean?

Use hycean when its meaning, tone and grammar fit the full sentence. A synonym is not always a direct replacement.

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