Grants related:
General
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 fields in modern astrophysics. The growing number of new exoplanets discovered in recent years and the recent advance on the study of their atmospheres are not only providing new valuable information about its physical properties, but also allowing to constrain the properties of the Solar system's planets within a more global context. The field is approaching to the important discovery of the first potentially habitable planets and encouraging more detailed studies of them. With the launching of upcoming related satellites like JWST, CHEOPS, TESS, ARIEL and PLATO, the exoplanets field faces a bright future.
It is for this reason that this field is aid of, and at the same time promotes, the development of increasingly sensitive and stable instrumentation for both, ground-based telescopes and space missions. Our group is particularly prepared for these two fronts. On the one hand, during the last years we have developed observational and reduction techniques of exoplanet transits data for the ORM telescopes, ours being one of the most productive groups in the exploitation of GTC. On the other hand, all ESA space missions (present and future) related to exoplanets have one or more components of the project as CoIs. Within the frame of this project, we intend that IAC researchers maintain an advantageous position regarding the operation of OSIRIS and CanariCam, first light
GTC's instruments, and participate in the construction, commissioning and operation of new instruments such as the high resolution optical spectrograph HORUS at GTC. The exploitation of the photometry and spectroscopy of transits with LIRIS at WHT is also one of our principal interests, especially in preparation for the installation in 2015 of EMIR on the GTC .
To summarize, the project "Exoplanets and Astrobiology" will focus on these four action lines:
1) The characterization of atmospheric and physical properties of exoplanets (GTC, WHT, ARIEL, HARPSN, CARMENES, ESPRESSO, etc. ..)
2) The search and confirmation of exoplanets by transits techniques (CoRoT, Kepler, K2, CHEOPS, XO, LCOGT, W FC, DISH, etc. ..)
3) The search and confirmation of exoplanet by radial velocity techniques (HARPSN, HORUS, LCOGT, SONG, CARMENES)
4) Astrobiology
Members
Results
- Detection of He in the atmosphere of an exoplanet from the ground, published in Science
- Detection of a super-earth around Barnard star, published in Nature
- Detection of the first TESS planets, with several papers of high relevance
- Discovery of Na and Halpha features in the spectrum of KELT-20b with TNG
- Publication of the Handbook of Exoplanets, the most extensive work of reference in the field of exoplanets. The Handbook was edited by members of our group, and includes contributions by about 300 experts worldwide, including 12 members of IAC.
Scientific activity
Related publications
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The GTC exoplanet transit spectroscopy survey. VI. Detection of sodium in WASP-52b's cloudy atmosphere
We report the first detection of sodium absorption in the atmosphere of the hot Jupiter WASP-52b. We observed one transit of WASP-52b with the low-resolution Optical System for Imaging and low-Intermediate-Resolution Integrated Spectroscopy (OSIRIS) at the 10.4 m Gran Telescopio Canarias (GTC). The resulting transmission spectrum, covering the
Chen, G. et al.Advertised on:
42017 -
The K2-ESPRINT project. VI. K2-105 b, a hot Neptune around a metal-rich G-dwarf
We report on the confirmation that the candidate transits observed for the star EPIC 211525389 are due to a short-period Neptune-sized planet. The host star, located in K2 campaign field 5, is a metal-rich ([Fe/H] = 0.26 ± 0.05) G-dwarf (Teff = 5430 ± 70 K and log g = 4.48 ± 0.09), based on observations with the High Dispersion Spectrograph (HDS)
Narita, Norio et al.Advertised on:
42017 -
Mass determination of K2-19b and K2-19c from radial velocities and transit timing variations
We present radial velocity follow-up observations of K2-19, a compact planetary system hosting three planets, of which the two larger ones, K2-19b and K2-19c, are close to the 3:2 mean motion resonance. An analysis considering only the radial velocity measurements detects K2-19b, the larger and more massive planet in the system, with a mass of 54.8
Nespral, D. et al.Advertised on:
52017 -
Optical and Near-infrared Spectra of σ Orionis Isolated Planetary-mass Objects
We have obtained low-resolution optical (0.7–0.98 μm) and near-infrared (1.11–1.34 μm and 0.8–2.5 μm) spectra of 12 isolated planetary-mass candidates (J = 18.2–19.9 mag) of the 3 Myr σ Orionis star cluster with the aim of determining the spectroscopic properties of very young, substellar dwarfs and assembling a complete cluster mass function. We
Zapatero Osorio, M. R. et al.Advertised on:
62017 -
Primeval very low-mass stars and brown dwarfs - II. The most metal-poor substellar object
SDSS J010448.46+153501.8 has previously been classified as an sdM9.5 subdwarf. However, its very blue J - K colour (-0.15 ± 0.17) suggests a much lower metallicity compared to normal sdM9.5 subdwarfs. Here, we re-classify this object as a usdL1.5 subdwarf based on a new optical and near-infrared spectrum obtained with X-shooter on the Very Large
Zhang, Z. H. et al.Advertised on:
62017 -
Multi-filter Transit Observations of HAT-P-3b and TrES-3b with Multiple Northern Hemisphere Telescopes
We present a photometric follow-up of transiting exoplanets HAT-P-3b and TrES-3b, observed by using several optical and near-infrared filters, with four small-class telescopes (D = 36–152 cm) in the Northern Hemisphere. Two of the facilities present their first scientific results. New 10 HAT-P-3b light curves and new 26 TrES-3b light curves are
Sada, P. V. et al.Advertised on:
62017 -
From dense hot Jupiter to low-density Neptune: The discovery of WASP-127b, WASP-136b, and WASP-138b
We report three newly discovered exoplanets from the SuperWASP survey. WASP-127b is a heavily inflated super-Neptune of mass 0.18±0.02 MJ and radius 1.37±0.04 RJ. This is one of the least massive planets discovered by the WASP project. It orbits a bright host star (Vmag = 10.16) of spectral type G5 with a period of 4.17 days. WASP-127b is a low
Lam, K. W. F. et al.Advertised on:
22017 -
A new L5 brown dwarf member of the Hyades cluster with chromospheric activity
Aims: Our aim is to identify brown dwarf members of the nearby Hyades open star cluster to determine the photometric and spectroscopic properties of brown dwarfs at moderately old ages and extend the knowledge of the substellar mass function of the cluster. Methods: We cross-matched the 2MASS and AllWISE public catalogues and measured proper
Pérez-Garrido, A. et al.Advertised on:
32017 -
TEE, an estimator for the precision of eclipse and transit minimum times
Context. Transit or eclipse timing variations have proven to be a valuable tool in exoplanet research. However, no simple way to estimate the potential precision of such timing measures has been presented yet, nor are guidelines available regarding the relation between timing errors and sampling rate. Aims: A timing error estimator (TEE) equation
Deeg, H. J. et al.Advertised on:
32017 -
K2-60b and K2-107b. A Sub-Jovian and a Jovian Planet from the K2 Mission
We report the characterization and independent detection of K2-60b, as well as the detection and characterization of K2-107b, two transiting hot gaseous planets from the K2 space mission. We confirm the planetary nature of the two systems and determine their fundamental parameters combining the K2 time-series data with FIES@NOT and HARPS-N@TNG
Eigmüller, P. et al.Advertised on:
32017 -
EPIC 219388192b—An Inhabitant of the Brown Dwarf Desert in the Ruprecht 147 Open Cluster
We report the discovery of EPIC 219388192b, a transiting brown dwarf in a 5.3 day orbit around a member star of Ruprecht 147, the oldest nearby open cluster association, which was photometrically monitored by K2 during its Campaign 7. We combine the K2 time-series data with ground-based adaptive optics imaging and high-resolution spectroscopy to
Nowak, G. et al.Advertised on:
32017 -
WD 1145+017 photometric observations during eight months of high activity
WD 1145+017 was observed from 2015 November to 2016 July for the purpose of characterizing transit behavior of the white dwarf by dust clouds thought to be produced by fragments of an asteroid in close orbit with the star. Fortuitously, most of these observations were carried out during a time when the overall `dip' activity was dramatically
Gary, B. L. et al.Advertised on:
32017 -
Discovery of wide low and very low-mass binary systems using Virtual Observatory tools
The frequency of multiple systems and their properties are key constraints of stellar formation and evolution. Formation mechanisms of very low-mass (VLM) objects are still under considerable debate, and an accurate assessment of their multiplicity and orbital properties is essential for constraining current theoretical models. Taking advantage of
Gálvez-Ortiz, M. C. et al.Advertised on:
42017 -
Optical and near-infrared linear polarization of low and intermediate-gravity ultracool dwarfs
We aim to study the optical and near-infrared linear polarimetric properties of a sample of young M7-L7 dwarfs (≈ 1-500 Myr) with spectroscopic signatures of low- and intermediate-gravity atmospheres. We collected optical (RIZ) and near-infrared (YJHKs) linear polarimetry images on various time-scales from ˜0.2 h to months. Linear polarization
Miles-Páez, P. A. et al.Advertised on:
42017 -
A super-Earth orbiting the nearby M dwarf GJ 536
We report the discovery of a super-Earth orbiting the star GJ 536 based on the analysis of the radial-velocity time series from the HARPS and HARPS-N spectrographs. GJ 536 b is a planet with a minimum mass Msini of 5.36 ± 0.69 M⊕; it has an orbital period of 8.7076 ± 0.0025 d at a distance of 0.066610(13) AU, and an orbit that is consistent with
Suárez Mascareño, A. et al.Advertised on:
12017 -
New planetary systems from the Calan-Hertfordshire Extrasolar Planet Search
We report the discovery of eight new giant planets, and updated orbits for four known planets, orbiting dwarf and subgiant stars using the CORALIE, HARPS, and MIKE instruments as part of the Calan-Hertfordshire Extrasolar Planet Search. The planets have masses in the range 1.1-5.4 MJ's, orbital periods from 40 to 2900 d, and eccentricities from 0.0
Jenkins, J. S. et al.Advertised on:
42017 -
CARMENES input catalogue of M dwarfs. II. High-resolution imaging with FastCam
Aims: We search for low-mass companions of M dwarfs and characterize their multiplicity fraction with the purpose of helping in the selection of the most appropriate targets for the CARMENES exoplanet survey. Methods: We obtained high-resolution images in the I band with the lucky imaging instrument FastCam at the 1.5 m Telescopio Carlos Sánchez
Cortés-Contreras, M. et al.Advertised on:
12017 -
EPIC 201702477b: A Transiting Brown Dwarf from K2 in a 41 day Orbit
We report the discovery of EPIC 201702477b, a transiting brown dwarf in a long period (40.73691 ± 0.00037 day) and eccentric (e = 0.2281 ± 0.0026) orbit. This system was initially reported as a planetary candidate based on two transit events seen in K2 Campaign 1 photometry and later validated as an exoplanet candidate. We confirm the transit and
Bayliss, D. et al.Advertised on:
12017 -
Spectral energy distribution simulations of a possible ring structure around the young, red brown dwarf G 196-3 B
The origin of the very red optical and infrared colours of intermediate-age (˜10-500 Myr) L-type dwarfs remains unknown. It has been suggested that low-gravity atmospheres containing large amounts of dust may account for the observed reddish nature. We explored an alternative scenario by simulating debris disc around G 196-3 B, which is an L3 young
Zakhozhay, O. V. et al.Advertised on:
12017 -
K2-99: a subgiant hosting a transiting warm Jupiter in an eccentric orbit and a long-period companion
We report the discovery from K2 of a transiting planet in an 18.25-d, eccentric (0.19 ± 0.04) orbit around K2-99, an 11th magnitude subgiant in Virgo. We confirm the planetary nature of the companion with radial velocities, and determine that the star is a metal-rich ([Fe/H] = 0.20 ± 0.05) subgiant, with mass 1.60^{+0.14}_{-0.10} M⊙ and radius 3.1
Smith, A. M. S. et al.Advertised on:
12017
