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
    The CARMENES search for exoplanets around M dwarfs. Wing asymmetries of Hα, Na I D, and He I lines
    Stellar activity is ubiquitously encountered in M dwarfs and often characterised by the Hα line. In the most active M dwarfs, Hα is found in emission, sometimes...
  • Publication
    The CARMENES search for exoplanets around M dwarfs. Wolf 1069 b: Earth-mass planet in the habitable zone of a nearby, very low-mass star
    We present the discovery of an Earth-mass planet (M b sin i = 1.26 ± 0.21 M ⊕) on a 15.6 d orbit of a relatively nearby (d ~ 9.6 pc) and low-mass (0.167 ± 0.011...
  • Publication
    The CARMENES Search for Exoplanets around M Dwarfs: A Low-mass Planet in the Temperate Zone of the Nearby K2-18
    K2-18 is a nearby M2.5 dwarf, located at 34 pc and hosting a transiting planet that was first discovered by the K2 mission and later confirmed with Spitzer...
  • Publication
    The Castalia mission to Main Belt Comet 133P/Elst-Pizarro
    We describe Castalia, a proposed mission to rendezvous with a Main Belt Comet (MBC), 133P/Elst-Pizarro. MBCs are a recently discovered population of apparently...
  • Publication
    The Central Star of NGC 2346 as a Clue to Binary Evolution through the Common Envelope Phase
    We present an analysis of the binary central star of the planetary nebula NGC 2346 based on archival data from the International Ultraviolet Explorer, and new...
  • Publication
    The centre-to-limb variations of solar Fraunhofer lines imprinted upon lunar eclipse spectra. Implications for exoplanet transit observations
    The atmospheres of exoplanets are commonly studied by observing the transit of the planet passing in front of its parent star. The obscuration of part of the...
  • Publication
    The changing face of AU Mic b: stellar spots, spin-orbit commensurability, and transit timing variations as seen by CHEOPS and TESS
    AU Mic is a young planetary system with a resolved debris disc showing signs of planet formation and two transiting warm Neptunes near mean-motion resonances...
  • Publication
    The changing nebula around the hot R Coronae Borealis star DY Centauri
    Among the distinguishing characteristics of the remarkable hot R Coronae Borealis star DY Centauri, which was recently found to be a spectroscopic binary, is...
  • Publication
    The Changing Rotational Light-curve Amplitude of Varuna and Evidence for a Close-in Satellite
    From CCD observations carried out with different telescopes, we present short-term photometric measurements of the large trans-Neptunian object Varuna in 10...