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
    Early Release Science of the exoplanet WASP-39b with JWST NIRCam
    Measuring the metallicity and carbon-to-oxygen (C/O) ratio in exoplanet atmospheres is a fundamental step towards constraining the dominant chemical processes...
  • Publication
    Early Release Science of the exoplanet WASP-39b with JWST NIRISS
    The Saturn-mass exoplanet WASP-39b has been the subject of extensive efforts to determine its atmospheric properties using transmission spectroscopy 1-4...
  • Publication
    Early Release Science of the exoplanet WASP-39b with JWST NIRSpec G395H
    Measuring the abundances of carbon and oxygen in exoplanet atmospheres is considered a crucial avenue for unlocking the formation and evolution of exoplanetary...
  • Publication
    Early Release Science of the exoplanet WASP-39b with JWST NIRSpec PRISM
    Transmission spectroscopy 1-3 of exoplanets has revealed signatures of water vapour, aerosols and alkali metals in a few dozen exoplanet atmospheres 4,5...
  • Publication
    Earth's Albedo 1998-2017 as Measured From Earthshine
    The reflectance of the Earth is a fundamental climate parameter that we measured from Big Bear Solar Observatory between 1998 and 2017 by observing the...
  • Publication
    Earthshine observations at high spectral resolution: exploring and detecting metal lines in the Earth's upper atmosphere
    Observations of the Earth as a planet using the earthshine technique (i.e. looking at the light reflected from the dark side of the Moon) have been used for...
  • Publication
    East or Easter? keys to the orientation of Romanesque churches along the way of Saint James
    The pilgrimage along the Way of Saint James constituted the principal mechanism for the introduction of new currents of thought into the Iberian Peninsula, such...
  • News
    Eccentric exoplanet reveals how hot jupiters form
    An international scientific team, in which the Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias (IAC) participates, has discovered the extremely eccentric orbit of a gas...
  • Publication
    Effect of the stellar absorption line centre-to-limb variation on exoplanet transmission spectrum observations
    Transit spectroscopy is one of the most commonly used techniques for exoplanet atmosphere characterisation. This technique has been used to detect ionised and...