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 Gravitational-wave Optical Transient Observer (GOTO): prototype performance and prospects for transient science
The Gravitational-wave Optical Transient Observer (GOTO) is an array of wide-field optical telescopes, designed to exploit new discoveries from the next generation of gravitational wave detectors (LIGO, Virgo, and KAGRA), study rapidly evolving transients, and exploit multimessenger opportunities arising from neutrino and very high energy gamma-ray
Steeghs, D. et al.Advertised on:
42022 -
HATS-74Ab, HATS-75b, HATS-76b, and HATS-77b: Four Transiting Giant Planets Around K and M Dwarfs
The relative rarity of giant planets around low-mass stars compared with solar-type stars is a key prediction from the core-accretion planet formation theory. In this paper we report on the discovery of four gas giant planets that transit low-mass late K and early M dwarfs. The planets HATS-74Ab (TOI 737b), HATS-75b (TOI 552b), HATS-76b (TOI 555b)
Jordán, Andrés et al.Advertised on:
32022 -
A Transiting, Temperate Mini-Neptune Orbiting the M Dwarf TOI-1759 Unveiled by TESS
We report the discovery and characterization of TOI-1759 b, a temperate (400 K) sub-Neptune-sized exoplanet orbiting the M dwarf TOI-1759 (TIC 408636441). TOI-1759 b was observed by TESS to transit in Sectors 16, 17, and 24, with only one transit observed per sector, creating an ambiguity regarding the orbital period of the planet candidate. Ground
Espinoza, Néstor et al.Advertised on:
32022 -
A pair of sub-Neptunes transiting the bright K-dwarf TOI-1064 characterized with CHEOPS
We report the discovery and characterization of a pair of sub-Neptunes transiting the bright K-dwarf TOI-1064 (TIC 79748331), initially detected in the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) photometry. To characterize the system, we performed and retrieved the CHaracterising ExOPlanets Satellite (CHEOPS), TESS, and ground-based photometry
Wilson, Thomas G. et al.Advertised on:
32022 -
A 38 Million Year Old Neptune-sized Planet in the Kepler Field
Kepler 1627A is a G8V star previously known to host a 3.8 R ⊕ planet on a 7.2 day orbit. The star was observed by the Kepler space telescope because it is nearby (d = 329 pc) and it resembles the Sun. Here, we show using Gaia kinematics, TESS stellar rotation periods, and spectroscopic lithium abundances that Kepler 1627 is a member of the ${38}_{
Bouma, L. G. et al.Advertised on:
32022 -
TESS Giants Transiting Giants. II. The Hottest Jupiters Orbiting Evolved Stars
Giant planets on short-period orbits are predicted to be inflated and eventually engulfed by their host stars. However, the detailed timescales and stages of these processes are not well known. Here, we present the discovery of three hot Jupiters (P < 10 days) orbiting evolved, intermediate-mass stars (M ⋆ ≍ 1.5 M ⊙, 2 R ⊙ < R ⋆ < 5 R ⊙). By
Grunblatt, Samuel K. et al.Advertised on:
32022 -
A candidate short-period sub-Earth orbiting Proxima Centauri
Context. Proxima Centauri is the closest star to the Sun. This small, low-mass, mid M dwarf is known to host an Earth-mass exoplanet with an orbital period of 11.2 days within the habitable zone, as well as a long-period planet candidate with an orbital period of close to 5 yr. Aims: We report on the analysis of a large set of observations taken
Faria, J. P. et al.Advertised on:
22022 -
Transit timings variations in the three-planet system: TOI-270
We present ground- and space-based photometric observations of TOI-270 (L231-32), a system of three transiting planets consisting of one super-Earth and two sub-Neptunes discovered by TESS around a bright (K-mag = 8.25) M3V dwarf. The planets orbit near low-order mean-motion resonances (5:3 and 2:1) and are thus expected to exhibit large transit
Kaye, Laurel et al.Advertised on:
32022 -
Spi-OPS: Spitzer and CHEOPS confirm the near-polar orbit of MASCARA-1 b and reveal a hint of dayside reflection
Context. The light curves of tidally locked hot Jupiters transiting fast-rotating, early-type stars are a rich source of information about both the planet and star, with full-phase coverage enabling a detailed atmospheric characterisation of the planet. Although it is possible to determine the true spin-orbit angle Ψ - a notoriously difficult
Hooton, M. J. et al.Advertised on:
22022 -
TOI-530b: a giant planet transiting an M-dwarf detected by TESS
We report the discovery of TOI-530b, a transiting Saturn-like planet around an M0.5V dwarf, delivered by the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS). The host star is located at a distance of 147.7 ± 0.6 pc with a radius of R * = 0.54 ± 0.03 R ⊙ and a mass of M * = 0.53 ± 0.02 M ⊙. We verify the planetary nature of the transit signals by
Gan, Tianjun et al.Advertised on:
32022 -
Validation of 13 Hot and Potentially Terrestrial TESS Planets
The James Webb Space Telescope will be able to probe the atmospheres and surface properties of hot, terrestrial planets via emission spectroscopy. We identify 18 potentially terrestrial planet candidates detected by the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) that would make ideal targets for these observations. These planet candidates cover a
Giacalone, Steven et al.Advertised on:
22022 -
TOI-2285b: A 1.7 Earth-radius planet near the habitable zone around a nearby M dwarf
We report the discovery of TOI-2285b, a sub-Neptune-sized planet transiting a nearby (42 pc) M dwarf with a period of 27.3 d. We identified the transit signal from the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite photometric data, which we confirmed with ground-based photometric observations using the multiband imagers MuSCAT2 and MuSCAT3. Combining these
Fukui, Akihiko et al.Advertised on:
22022 -
The CARMENES search for exoplanets around M dwarfs. Diagnostic capabilities of strong K I lines for photosphere and chromosphere
There are several strong K I lines found in the spectra of M dwarfs, among them the doublet near 7700 Å and another doublet near 12 500 Å. We study these optical and near-infrared doublets in a sample of 324 M dwarfs, observed with CARMENES, the high-resolution optical and near-infrared spectrograph at Calar Alto, and investigate how well the lines
Fuhrmeister, B. et al.Advertised on:
12022 -
K2-99 revisited: a non-inflated warm Jupiter, and a temperate giant planet on a 522-d orbit around a subgiant
We report new photometric and spectroscopic observations of the K2-99 planetary system. Asteroseismic analysis of the short-cadence light curve from K2's Campaign 17 allows us to refine the stellar properties. We find K2-99 to be significantly smaller than previously thought, with R ⋆ = 2.55 ± 0.02 R ⊙. The new light curve also contains four
Smith, A. M. S. et al.Advertised on:
32022 -
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 on low- and high-resolution transmission spectroscopy. Methods: We generated synthetic planetary atmosphere models and we compared them with the transmission light curves and spectra observed
Morello, G. et al.Advertised on:
12022 -
Detection of the tidal deformation of WASP-103b at 3 σ with CHEOPS
Context. Ultra-short period planets undergo strong tidal interactions with their host star which lead to planet deformation and orbital tidal decay. Aims: WASP-103b is the exoplanet with the highest expected deformation signature in its transit light curve and one of the shortest expected spiral-in times. Measuring the tidal deformation of the
Barros, S. C. C. et al.Advertised on:
12022 -
Silicon in the dayside atmospheres of two ultra-hot Jupiters
Atmospheres of highly irradiated gas giant planets host a large variety of atomic and ionic species. Here we observe the thermal emission spectra of the two ultra-hot Jupiters WASP-33b and KELT-20b/MASCARA-2b in the near-infrared wavelength range with CARMENES. Via high-resolution Doppler spectroscopy, we searched for neutral silicon (Si) in their
Cont, D. et al.Advertised on:
12022 -
The Ariel 0.6 - 7.8 μm stellar limb-darkening coefficients
We provide here tables of stellar limb-darkening coefficients (LDCs) for the Ariel ESA M4 space mission. These tables include LDCs corresponding to different wavelength bins and white bands for the NIRSpec, AIRS-Ch0 and AIRS-Ch1 spectrographs, and those corresponding to the VISPhot, FGS1 and FGS2 photometers. The LDCs are calculated with the open
Advertised on:
42021Bibcode -
TOI-2285b: A 1.7 Earth-radius planet near the habitable zone around a nearby M dwarf
We report the discovery of TOI-2285b, a sub-Neptune-sized planet transiting a nearby (42 pc) M dwarf with a period of 27.3 d. We identified the transit signal from the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite photometric data, which we confirmed with ground-based photometric observations using the multiband imagers MuSCAT2 and MuSCAT3. Combining these
Advertised on:
122021Bibcode -
Rapid contraction of giant planets orbiting the 20-million-year-old star V1298 Tau
Current theories of planetary evolution predict that infant giant planets have large radii and very low densities before they slowly contract to reach their final size after about several hundred million years 1,2. These theoretical expectations remain untested so far as the detection and characterization of very young planets is extremely
Advertised on:
122021Bibcode
