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 spatial distribution of impact craters on Ryugu
    Asteroid 162173 Ryugu has numerous craters. The initial measurement of impact craters on Ryugu, by Sugita et al. (2019), is based on Hayabusa2 ONC images...
  • Publication
    The spectroscopic properties of the Lixiaohua family, cradle of Main Belt Comets
    The Lixiaohua collisional family lies in the Outer Main Belt, close to the well characterized Themis primitive class family. It is one of the only three...
  • Publication
    The spectrum of (136199) Eris between 350 and 2350 nm: results with X-Shooter
    Context. X-Shooter is the first second-generation instrument for the ESO-Very Large Telescope. It is a spectrograph covering the entire 300-2480 nm spectral...
  • Publication
    The Splitting of Double-component Active Asteroid P/2016 J1 (PANSTARRS)
    We present deep imaging observations, orbital dynamics, and dust-tail model analyses of the double-component asteroid P/2016 J1 (J1-A and J1-B). The...
  • Publication
    The stable climate of KELT-9b,★
    Even among the most irradiated gas giants, so-called ultra-hot Jupiters, KELT-9b stands out as the hottest planet thus far discovered with a dayside temperature...
  • Publication
    The strange case of Na I in the atmosphere of HD 209458 b. Reconciling low- and high-resolution spectroscopic observations
    Aims: We aim to investigate the origin of the discrepant results reported in the literature about the presence of Na I in the atmosphere of HD 209458 b, based...
  • Publication
    The surface of (136108) Haumea (2003 EL{61}), the largest carbon-depleted object in the trans-Neptunian belt
    Context: Previously known as 2003 EL{61}, (136108) Haumea, is the largest member of a group of trans-Neptunian objects (TNOs) with similar orbits and “unique”...
  • News
    The surface of asteroid Bennu: dark, rough and dense with boulders
    Between August and December 2018, during the Approach and Preliminary Survey phases of the NASA OSIRIS-REx mission, a series of images and spectra of the...
  • News
    The synchronized dance of a system of six planets is revealed
    An international collaboration, with participation by the Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias (IAC), has found a system of six exoplanets orbiting a central...