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 Continuing Search for Evidence of Tidal Orbital Decay of Hot Jupiters
    Many of the known hot Jupiters are formally unstable to tidal orbital decay. The only hot Jupiter for which orbital decay has been directly detected is WASP-12...
  • Publication
    The contribution of N-rich stars to the Galactic stellar halo using APOGEE red giants
    The contribution of dissolved globular clusters (GCs) to the stellar content of the Galactic halo is a key constraint on models for GC formation and destruction...
  • Publication
    The CORALIE survey for southern extrasolar planets. XVII. New and updated long period and massive planets
    Context. Since 1998, a planet-search program around main sequence stars within 50 pc in the southern hemisphere has been carried out with the CORALIE echelle...
  • Publication
    The Correlation between Mixing Length and Metallicity on the Giant Branch: Implications for Ages in the Gaia Era
    In the updated APOGEE-Kepler catalog, we have asteroseismic and spectroscopic data for over 3000 first ascent red giants. Given the size and accuracy of this...
  • Publication
    The correlation between photometric variability and radial velocity jitter. Based on TESS and HARPS observations
    Context. Characterizing the relation between stellar photometric variability and radial velocity (RV) jitter can help us to better understand the physics behind...
  • Publication
    The cultural landscape ‘Risco caído and the sacred mountains of Gran Canaria: a paradigmatic proposal within UNESCO Astronomy and Wolrd Heritage initiative
    The island of Gran canaria in the Canarian Archipelago is characterized by the presence of sanctuaries at the top of significant mountains and on the scarps of...
  • News
    The densest “Neptune” ever observed
    An international team of researchers, with participation from the Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias, has discovered an extremely dense Neptune-sized planet...
  • Publication
    The descent and bouncing path of the Hayabusa2 lander MASCOT at asteroid (162173) Ryugu
    Images from the Optical Navigation Camera system (ONC) onboard the Hayabusa2 spacecraft show the MASCOT lander during its descent to the surface of asteroid...
  • Publication
    The Detectability of Earth's Biosignatures Across Time
    Over the past two decades, enormous advances in the detection of exoplanets have taken place. Currently, we have discovered hundreds of Earth-sized planets...