Lines of research: Exoplanetary Systems & Solar System (SEYSS)

Exoplanetary Systems & Solar System (SEYSS)

The area of planetary and solar systems involves several research groups working on Exoplanets, Solar System and Cultural Astronomy. Our main objectives are:

  • The detection and characterization of giant and rocky planets around nearby stars using the most advanced instruments (CARMENES, ESPRESSO, HARPS Norte y Sur, SONG, LCO, MUSCAT2) and space missions (CoRoT, Kepler K2, CHEOPS, TESS and PLATO). The group is particularly interested in the study of terrestrial planets in the habitable zone of their host stars where water can be in liquid form.
  • The characterization of the atmospheres of planets to know their structure and composition, both by transits and direct imaging, using ground-based telescopes such as GTC and space missions such as CHEOPS.
  • Investigate the formation of exoplanet systems by studying the chemical composition of planet host stars, and the dynamical evolution of exoplanets at their early stages of formation.
  • Study the physical properties of different families of minor bodies of the Solar System (asteroids, comets, trans-neptunian objects, etc.) to understand the origin and evolution of Solar System with GTC and space missions such as OSIRIS-REx.
  • The study of ancient cosmologies through cultural astronomy and the defense of cultural heritage through the astronomy.
  • Publication
    TESS Hunt for Young and Maturing Exoplanets (THYME). VII. Membership, Rotation, and Lithium in the Young Cluster Group-X and a New Young Exoplanet
    The public, all-sky surveys Gaia and TESS provide the ability to identify new young associations and determine their ages. These associations enable study of...
  • Publication
    TESS Reveals a Short-period Sub-Neptune Sibling (HD 86226c) to a Known Long-period Giant Planet
    The Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite mission was designed to find transiting planets around bright, nearby stars. Here, we present the detection and mass...
  • Publication
    TESS Spots a Hot Jupiter with an Inner Transiting Neptune
    Hot Jupiters are rarely accompanied by other planets within a factor of a few in orbital distance. Previously, only two such systems have been found. Here, we...
  • Publication
    TESS's first planet. A super-Earth transiting the naked-eye star π Mensae
    We report on the confirmation and mass determination of π Men c, the first transiting planet discovered by NASA's TESS space mission. π Men is a naked-eye (V =...
  • News
    TESS, Spitzer and the GTC detect a planet orbiting a white dwarf for the first time
    With data from NASA’s TESS satellite, from the now retired Spitzer Space Telescope, and the Gran Telescopio Canarias (GTC) an international team of astronomers...
  • Publication
    TESS-Keck Survey. V. Twin Sub-Neptunes Transiting the Nearby G Star HD 63935
    We present the discovery of two nearly identically sized sub-Neptune transiting planets orbiting HD 63935, a bright (V = 8.6 mag), Sun-like (T eff = 5560 K)...
  • Publication
    Testing the comet nature of main belt comets. The spectra of 133P/Elst-Pizarro and 176P/LINEAR
    Context. Dynamically, 133P/Elst-Pizarro and 176P/LINEAR are main belt asteroids, likely members of the Themis collisional family, and unlikely of cometary...
  • Publication
    Testing the existence of optical linear polarization in young brown dwarfs
    Linear polarization can be used as a probe of the existence of atmospheric condensates in ultracool dwarfs. Models predict that the observed linear polarization...
  • Publication
    Testing the Limits of Precise Subgiant Characterization with APOGEE and Gaia: Opening a Window to Unprecedented Astrophysical Studies
    Given their location on the Hertzsprung-Russell (H-R) diagram, thoroughly characterized subgiant stars can place stringent constraints on a wide range of...