Planetary Systems

The area related to the study of planetary systems covers a broad range of research lines that focus on gaining a better understanding of the formation and evolution of planetary systems in the galaxy, along with our own Solar System, key pieces of the puzzle in our quest to uncover the origins of life in the universe.  Within the study of exoplanetary systems, we are actively involved in the discovery and characterisation of individual systems, ranging from the smallest terrestrial worlds, up to the largest gas giants.  In particular, we are involved in the NGTS project, a transit survey being performed in Chile to search for new planets, whilst confirming and characterising others.  We also lead the CHEPS, an initiative to search for planets using the radial-velocity method, to better understand planet formation around stars enriched in iron when compared to the Sun.  Directly imaging planets using sensitive adaptive optics techniques is one of our main lines of interest, along with the search for the first exomoons. Natural satellites are common in our Solar System, so it seems legitimate to think that exoplanets may host satellites.  But so far, no strong claim of an exomoon has been announced. The natural satellites of the Solar System are fundamental tracers to understanding its formation and evolution. The hunt for moons around exoplanets is motivated by the need to have a revolutionary way of understanding planet formation scenarios. In particular, we are focusing on satellites of giant planets, using the techniques of the direct imaging and the radial velocities. We also regularly make use of space-based instruments like the TESS, aiming to confirm new extreme Neptune-like planets, along with CHEOPS, HST, and JWST to study their atmospheric chemistries, physical processes, and cloud properties, in order to better understand the structure of planets, how they form, and how they evolve.  We are also focused on better understanding how planets form within the disk of material left around young forming stars.  By studying these proto-planetary disks with instruments like ALMA, we can probe the structure of the gas and dust that are the key components in the planet formation process.  Members are involved in several ALMA Large Programs and Open Time proposals to study the parent disks of borning planets.  Finally, we are also heavily involved in better understanding the components of our own Solar System, how these different elements formed and evolved. Members utilize a combination of ground-based and space-based facilities, , such as ALMA, VLT and JWST etc, to study small bodies in the Solar System, which represent the primitive building blocks of the major planets. As part of international collaborations, our members have been actively involved in studying interstellar objects (ISOs) across a wide range of wavelengths and employing various observation techniques. As they traverse through our Solar System, these ISOs provide unprecedented opportunities for us to examine materials from exoplanetary systems in great detail.

Projects