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
    Small Telescope Exoplanet Transit Surveys: XO
    The XO project aims at detecting transiting exoplanets around bright stars from the ground using small telescopes. The original configuration of XO (McCullough...
  • News
    Solar physicists build a 2D model which can explain the bright points in the solar corona
    A numerical experiment conducted by two researchers at the Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias (IAC), Daniel Nöbrega Siverio and Fernando Moreno Insertis, has...
  • Publication
    Solid state debromination of C 60 Br 24 back to C 60 with cesium iodide: kinetics, thermodynamics and mechanism
    The bromofullerene C60Br24 undergoes a complete and quantitative debromination to C60 when it is mixed and ground in the solid state with cesium iodide (CsI)...
  • Publication
    Solid state radiolysis of amino acids in an astrochemical perspective
    The aliphatic amino acids L-alanine and L-leucine and the aromatic amino acids L-phenylalanine, L-tyrosine and L-tryptophan were irradiated in the solid state...
  • Publication
    Soluble organic molecules in samples of the carbonaceous asteroid (162173) Ryugu
    The Hayabusa2 spacecraft collected samples from the surface of the carbonaceous near-Earth asteroid (162173) Ryugu and brought them to Earth. The samples were...
  • Publication
    SOPHIE velocimetry of Kepler transit candidates. XII. KOI-1257 b: a highly eccentric three-month period transiting exoplanet
    In this paper we report a new transiting warm giant planet: KOI-1257 b. It was first detected in photometry as a planet-candidate by the Kepler space telescope...
  • Publication
    Space experiment TUS on board the Lomonosov satellite as pathfinder of JEM-EUSO
    Space-based detectors for the study of extreme energy cosmic rays (EECR) are being prepared as a promising new method for detecting highest energy cosmic rays...
  • Publication
    SPACE: the spectroscopic all-sky cosmic explorer
    We describe the scientific motivations, the mission concept and the instrumentation of SPACE, a class-M mission proposed for concept study at the first call of...
  • Publication
    Spatial variations in the Milky Way disc metallicity-age relation
    Stellar ages are a crucial component to studying the evolution of the Milky Way. Using Gaia DR2 distance estimates, it is now possible to estimate stellar ages...