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
    Multicolour photometry for exoplanet candidate validation
    Context. The TESS and PLATO missions are expected to find vast numbers of new transiting planet candidates. However, only a fraction of these candidates will be...
  • Publication
    Multiple water band detections in the CARMENES near-infrared transmission spectrum of HD 189733 b
    Aims: We explore the capabilities of CARMENES for characterising hot-Jupiter atmospheres by targeting multiple water bands, in particular, those at 1.15 and 1.4...
  • Publication
    Multivariable statistical analysis of spectrophotometry and spectra of (162173) Ryugu as observed by JAXA Hayabusa2 mission
    Context. Starting from late June 2018, the JAXA asteroid sample return mission Hayabusa2 acquired a large quantity of resolved images and spectra of the surface...
  • Publication
    MuSCAT2 multicolour validation of TESS candidates: an ultra-short-period substellar object around an M dwarf
    Context. We report the discovery of TOI 263.01 (TIC 120916706), a transiting substellar object (R = 0.87 R Jup) orbiting a faint M3.5 V dwarf (V = 18.97) on a 0...
  • Publication
    MuSCAT2: four-color simultaneous camera for the 1.52-m Telescopio Carlos Sánchez
    We report the development of a four-color simultaneous camera for the 1.52-m Telescopio Carlos Sánchez in the Teide Observatory, Canaries, Spain. The instrument...
  • Publication
    Na I and Hα absorption features in the atmosphere of MASCARA-2b/KELT-20b
    We used the HARPS-North high resolution spectrograph (ℛ = 115 000) at Telescopio Nazionale Galileo (TNG) to observe one transit of the highly irradiated planet...
  • News
    Nailing Bennu's colors to the mast: new findings on the origin of this primitive body
    Science magazine, in a special collection on asteroid Bennu, has published the results of the analysis of photometric-spectrum color variations on the surface...
  • Grant
    NanoFull: Fullerene- and graphene-based molecular nanostructures in circumstellar envelopes
    NanoFull is an ambitious interdisciplinary project to: i) understand the process of formation process of fullerene- and graphene-based molecular nanostructures...
  • Capability
    National and international relations in the field of large scientific facilities with other public and private entities
    One of the missions of the IAC is to point out the value of the international nature of the center, by improving the relationships that are already underway...