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
    Exoplanet Biosignatures: Observational Prospects
    Exoplanet hunting efforts have revealed the prevalence of exotic worlds with diverse properties, including Earth-sized bodies, which has fueled our endeavor to...
  • Project
    Exoplanets and Astrobiology
    The search for life in the universe has been driven by recent discoveries of planets around other stars (known as exoplanets), becoming one of the most active...
  • Publication
    Exoplanets around Low-mass Stars Unveiled by K2
    We present the detection and follow-up observations of planetary candidates around low-mass stars observed by the K2 mission. Based on light-curve analysis...
  • Grant
    Expanding frontiers in exoplanet research: The road to ARIEL and exo-earths characterization
    The research field of exoplanet is, within Astrophysics, the one with largest projection over the coming years. With the present proposal we aim at building and...
  • Publication
    Expected spectral characteristics of (101955) Bennu and (162173) Ryugu, targets of the OSIRIS-REx and Hayabusa2 missions
    NASA's OSIRIS-REx and JAXA's Hayabusa2 sample-return missions are currently on their way to encounter primitive near-Earth asteroids (101955) Bennu and (162173)...
  • Publication
    Exploiting timing capabilities of the CHEOPS mission with warm-Jupiter planets
    We present 17 transit light curves of seven known warm-Jupiters observed with the CHaracterising ExOPlanet Satellite (CHEOPS). The light curves have been...
  • Publication
    Exploring Anticorrelations and Light Element Variations in Northern Globular Clusters Observed by the APOGEE Survey
    We investigate the light-element behavior of red giant stars in northern globular clusters (GCs) observed by the SDSS-III Apache Point Observatory Galactic...
  • Publication
    Exploring circumstellar effects on the lithium and calcium abundances in massive Galactic O-rich AGB stars
    Context. We previously explored the circumstellar effects on Rb and Zr abundances in a sample (21) of massive Galactic O-rich asymptotic giant branch (AGB)...