Detection and characterization of an ultra-dense sub-Neptunian planet orbiting the Sun-like star K2-292

We present the discovery and characterization of a new transiting planet from Campaign 17 of the Kepler extended mission K2. The planet K2-292 b is a warm sub-Neptune on a 17 day orbit around a bright (V = 9.9 mag) solar-like G3 V star with a mass and radius of M⋆ = 1.00 ± 0.03 M⊙ and R⋆ = 1.09 ± 0.03 R⊙, respectively. We modeled simultaneously the K2 photometry and CARMENES spectroscopic data and derived a radius of Rp=2.63-0.10+0.12 R⊕ and mass of Mp=24.5-4.4+4.4 M⊕, yielding a mean density of ρp=7.4-1.5+1.6 g cm-3, which makes it one of the densest sub-Neptunian planets known to date. We also detected a linear trend in the radial velocities of K2-292 (γ˙RV = -0.40-0.07+0.07 m s-1 d-1) that suggests a long-period companion with a minimum mass on the order of 33 M⊕. If confirmed, it would support a formation scenario of K2-292 b by migration caused by Kozai-Lidov oscillations.