Transiting planets with the CoRoT space mission
Lead Research Organisation:
UNIVERSITY OF EXETER
Department Name: Physics
Abstract
In this Rolling Grant application, we describe an interdisciplinary programme of observational and theoretical research in extrasolar planets, to be conducted at the University of Exeter, through a new collaboration between the Astrophysics Group in the School of Physics and the Centre for Geophysical and Astrophysical Fluid Dynamics (CGAFD) in the School of Engineering, Computing and Mathematics (SECaM). The research programme combines state-of-the-art observations and theoretical calculations to detect, determine the properties of, and model the formation and evolution of extrasolar planets. We will perform three-dimensional self-gravitating radiation hydrodynamical simulations of gas accretion by a protoplanet core to form giant planets to produce more accurate models of young gas giant planets. We will directly image gas giant planets around young nearby stars using adaptive optics on the VLT and the Gemini Planet Imager and use these observations to test the models. We will undertake space-based observations of transiting planets using HST and Spitzer to understand the chemistry and dynamics of the atmospheres of giant planets that are very close to their stars and model these atmospheres using convective three-dimensional simulations. Finally, we will analyse the data from CoRoT, the first space-based transiting planet search mission, to detect and characterise planets of Neptune-mass and below and the systems they are part of, as well as search for light reflected by giant planets.
Organisations
People |
ORCID iD |
Suzanne Aigrain (Principal Investigator) |
Publications
Erikson A.
(2012)
VizieR Online Data Catalog: Planetary transit candidates in CoRoT SRc01 field (Erikson+, 2012)
in VizieR Online Data Catalog
Carone L
(2012)
Planetary transit candidates in the CoRoT LRa01 field
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Erikson A
(2012)
Planetary transit candidates in the CoRoT-SRc01 field
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Bonomo A
(2012)
Detection of Neptune-size planetary candidates with CoRoT data Comparison with the planet occurrence rate derived from Kepler
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Rouan D
(2012)
Transiting exoplanets from the CoRoT space mission XIX. CoRoT-23b: a dense hot Jupiter on an eccentric orbit
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Aigrain Suzanne
(2012)
Probing the Physics of Planets and Stars with Transit Data
in IAU Symposium
Ollivier M
(2012)
Transiting exoplanets from the CoRoT space mission XXII. CoRoT-16b: a hot Jupiter with a hint of eccentricity around a faint solar-like star???
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Knutson H
(2012)
3.6 AND 4.5 µm PHASE CURVES AND EVIDENCE FOR NON-EQUILIBRIUM CHEMISTRY IN THE ATMOSPHERE OF EXTRASOLAR PLANET HD 189733b
in The Astrophysical Journal
Gibson N
(2012)
A Gaussian process framework for modelling instrumental systematics: application to transmission spectroscopy Gaussian processes for modelling systematics
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Carone L.
(2012)
VizieR Online Data Catalog: Planetary transit candidates in CoRoT LRa01 field (Carone+, 2012)
in VizieR Online Data Catalog
Gibson N
(2012)
Probing the haze in the atmosphere of HD 189733b with Hubble Space Telescope/WFC3 transmission spectroscopy WFC3 transmission spectroscopy of HD 189733b
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Aigrain S
(2012)
A simple method to estimate radial velocity variations due to stellar activity using photometry? Activity-induced RV variations from photometry
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Pätzold M
(2012)
Transiting exoplanets from the CoRoT space mission XXIII. CoRoT-21b: a doomed large Jupiter around a faint subgiant star
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Fressin F
(2012)
SPITZER INFRARED OBSERVATIONS AND INDEPENDENT VALIDATION OF THE TRANSITING SUPER-EARTH CoRoT-7 b
in The Astrophysical Journal
Deleuil M
(2012)
Transiting exoplanets from the CoRoT space mission XX. CoRoT-20b: A very high density, high eccentricity transiting giant planet
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Evans T
(2013)
THE DEEP BLUE COLOR OF HD 189733b: ALBEDO MEASUREMENTS WITH HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE /SPACE TELESCOPE IMAGING SPECTROGRAPH AT VISIBLE WAVELENGTHS
in The Astrophysical Journal
Rivet J
(2013)
Time domain astronomy from Dome C: results from ASTEP
in Proceedings of the International Astronomical Union
Abe L
(2013)
The secondary eclipses of WASP-19b as seen by the ASTEP 400 telescope from Antarctica
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Pont F
(2013)
The prevalence of dust on the exoplanet HD 189733b from Hubble and Spitzer observations
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Gibson N
(2013)
The optical transmission spectrum of the hot Jupiter HAT-P-32b: clouds explain the absence of broad spectral features?
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Gibson N
(2013)
A Gemini ground-based transmission spectrum of WASP-29b: a featureless spectrum from 515 to 720 nm
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Aigrain S.
(2013)
The CoRoT transit candidate catalog
Almenara J
(2013)
Transiting exoplanets from the CoRoT space mission XXIV. CoRoT-25b and CoRoT-26b: two low-density giant planets
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Abe L.
(2013)
VizieR Online Data Catalog: WASP-19b secondary eclipses (Abe+, 2013)
in VizieR Online Data Catalog
Description | This grant funded me and a PDRA for three years to work on the detection and characterisation of transiting planets, mainly using data from the CoRoT space mission, the Hubble Space Telescope and the Gemini telescopes. One of the main outcomes was the development of novel methods to model instrumental systematic effects and / or stellar variability using a technique known as Gaussian Process regression, which we introduced to the exoplanet community, and where it is now becoming widely used. |
Exploitation Route | The novel light curve analysis methods we developed are becoming widely used in the community. This work also contributed to establishing the prevalence of clouds in the atmospheres of numerous hot Jupiter planets, which is prompting renewed interest in modelling and understanding clouds in hot Jupiters and brown dwarfs. |
Sectors | Digital/Communication/Information Technologies (including Software),Education |
Description | The main impact of this research beyond its immediate subject matter is educational: we were the first to apply Gaussian Process regression to exoplanet time-series data, and this has had a significant impact in the way in which researchers and students now approach the analysis of such datasets, including in other areas of astronomy that involve time-series or correlated datasets (e.g pulsar science and CMB cosmology) |
First Year Of Impact | 2012 |
Sector | Digital/Communication/Information Technologies (including Software),Education |