Exoplanet discovery and characterisation - Rolling Grant Transfer/Re-issue
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Warwick
Department Name: Physics
Abstract
The SuperWASP experiment is the most successful ground based exoplanet detection facility. After its recent upgrade it is now capable of discovering ice giant planets in short orbits and the data from its first 2 year run is now being ingested into the WASP archive. We will continue our successful exploitation of this data in our exoplanet discovery and characterisation programme and prepare for the the first data from our new world leading NGTS experiment. NGTS is designed for routine detection of ice-giants and its red- sensitivity means it will be the leading source of rocky super-Earth planets that are confirmable with current equipment. This will allow us to lead in understanding the most common types of planet and allow us to take the first steps in looking at the different classes of planet and their characteristics.
For our brightest planets we will conduct follow up observations that will allow us to understand their dynamical histories and take the first steps to characterise their atmospheres.
In addition we will study the architectures of exoplanetary systems and in particular we will characterise bright multi-planet and circumbinary systems. Through our collaborations this will allow us to place strong constraints on their evolutionary histories.
This proposal is to allow the transfer of the PI's current fEC from QUB to the University of Warwick where he has recently taken up a new position.
For our brightest planets we will conduct follow up observations that will allow us to understand their dynamical histories and take the first steps to characterise their atmospheres.
In addition we will study the architectures of exoplanetary systems and in particular we will characterise bright multi-planet and circumbinary systems. Through our collaborations this will allow us to place strong constraints on their evolutionary histories.
This proposal is to allow the transfer of the PI's current fEC from QUB to the University of Warwick where he has recently taken up a new position.
Planned Impact
Astronomy has always captured the attention of humans. Some of the deepest philosophical questions pertaining to our existence in the universe are perceived to be of (or at least related to) an astronomical nature. This gives us a massive advantage when compared to other scientific endevours. In no subject is this more true than exoplanets as their existence is bound up with the search for intelligent life in the universe - one of the mother questions of our existence. With this in mind we have found that the principles underlying exoplanet detection and bulk characterization are ideal subject matter to demonstrate basic physics in an exciting way and naturally lead in to discussions of habitability (both in the context of exoplanets and the Earth).
After recent NAM's the most popular news releases have invariable been those that are concerned with extrasolar planets. We are fortunate that the WASP project put UK astronomers at the forefront of this subject and the applicants have gained much experience with the media (radio, print and TV). This was recognized with the award of the 2010 Royal Society Exhibition "The detection of extra-terrestrial life and the consequences for science and society" where the applicants were active participants. The WASP project really grabbed both the national and international attention. At the international level the Project was received the accolade of one of the top ten discovery's in all of science in 2007 after the announcement/publication of WASP-3b (Pollacco et al, 2008, MNRAS 385, 1576). On a national stage, Pollacco, on behalf of the WASP Consortium, received the RAS Team Achievement Award for 2010.
NGTS will be the premiere transit experiment in the near/medium future and with science drivers that will make some of our most exciting discoveries of great public interest: NGTS exoplanets will be amongst the closest and potentially of rocky composition. Furthermore, NGTS planets will be prized targets for all future atmospheric characterization missions (including JWST). At a national level our demonstrated relationship with STFC Outreach and, of course, our universities will guarantee interest for all audiences.
After recent NAM's the most popular news releases have invariable been those that are concerned with extrasolar planets. We are fortunate that the WASP project put UK astronomers at the forefront of this subject and the applicants have gained much experience with the media (radio, print and TV). This was recognized with the award of the 2010 Royal Society Exhibition "The detection of extra-terrestrial life and the consequences for science and society" where the applicants were active participants. The WASP project really grabbed both the national and international attention. At the international level the Project was received the accolade of one of the top ten discovery's in all of science in 2007 after the announcement/publication of WASP-3b (Pollacco et al, 2008, MNRAS 385, 1576). On a national stage, Pollacco, on behalf of the WASP Consortium, received the RAS Team Achievement Award for 2010.
NGTS will be the premiere transit experiment in the near/medium future and with science drivers that will make some of our most exciting discoveries of great public interest: NGTS exoplanets will be amongst the closest and potentially of rocky composition. Furthermore, NGTS planets will be prized targets for all future atmospheric characterization missions (including JWST). At a national level our demonstrated relationship with STFC Outreach and, of course, our universities will guarantee interest for all audiences.
Organisations
People |
ORCID iD |
Don Pollacco (Principal Investigator) |
Publications
Wheatley P
(2014)
Next Generation Transit Survey (NGTS)
in Proceedings of the International Astronomical Union
Wheatley P
(2013)
The Next Generation Transit Survey (NGTS)
in EPJ Web of Conferences
West R
(2016)
Three irradiated and bloated hot Jupiters: WASP-76b, WASP-82b, and WASP-90b?
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Veras D
(2015)
Prospects for detecting decreasing exoplanet frequency with main-sequence age using PLATO
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Vanderburg A
(2015)
CHARACTERIZING K2 PLANET DISCOVERIES: A SUPER-EARTH TRANSITING THE BRIGHT K DWARF HIP 116454
in The Astrophysical Journal
Tyndall A
(2013)
Two rings but no fellowship: LoTr 1 and its relation to planetary nebulae possessing barium central stars
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Tyndall A
(2012)
A study of the kinematics and binary-induced shaping of the planetary nebula HaTr 4? The kinematics and shaping of PN HaTr 4
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Turner O
(2016)
WASP-120 b, WASP-122 b, and WASP-123 b: Three Newly Discovered Planets from the WASP-South Survey
in Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific
Triaud Amaury H. M. J.
(2017)
Peculiar architectures for the WASP-53 and WASP-81 planet-hosting systems
?
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Triaud A
(2013)
WASP-80b: a gas giant transiting a cool dwarf
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Triaud A
(2012)
The EBLM project I. Physical and orbital parameters, including spin-orbit angles, of two low-mass eclipsing binaries on opposite sides of the brown dwarf limit
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Triaud A
(2015)
WASP-80b has a dayside within the T-dwarf range
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Talens G. J. J.
(2017)
The Multi-site All-Sky CAmeRA: Finding transiting exoplanets around bright ($m_V < 8$) stars
in ArXiv e-prints
Spake J
(2016)
WASP-135b: A Highly Irradiated, Inflated Hot Jupiter Orbiting a G5V Star
in Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific
Smith A
(2012)
WASP-36b: A NEW TRANSITING PLANET AROUND A METAL-POOR G-DWARF, AND AN INVESTIGATION INTO ANALYSES BASED ON A SINGLE TRANSIT LIGHT CURVE
in The Astronomical Journal
Smith A
(2012)
Thermal emission from WASP-24b at 3.6 and 4.5 µ m
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Smith A
(2013)
WASP-71b: a bloated hot Jupiter in a 2.9-day, prograde orbit around an evolved F8 star
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Smith A
(2014)
WASP-104b and WASP-106b: two transiting hot Jupiters in 1.75-day and 9.3-day orbits
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Smalley B
(2014)
Eclipsing Am binary systems in the SuperWASP survey
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Smalley B
(2012)
WASP-78b and WASP-79b: two highly-bloated hot Jupiter-mass exoplanets orbiting F-type stars in Eridanus
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Smalley B
(2017)
Pulsation versus metallicism in Am stars as revealed by LAMOST and WASP
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Rostron J
(2014)
The thermal emission of the exoplanet WASP-3b
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Rodriguez Joseph E.
(2017)
The Mysterious Dimmings of the T Tauri Star V1334 Tau
in ArXiv e-prints
Rauer H
(2014)
The PLATO 2.0 mission
in Experimental Astronomy
Pepe F
(2013)
An Earth-sized planet with an Earth-like density.
in Nature
Osborn H
(2016)
Single transit candidates from K2: detection and period estimation
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Neveu-VanMalle M
(2014)
WASP-94 A and B planets: hot-Jupiter cousins in a twin-star system
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Mo nik T
(2015)
The central star candidate of the planetary nebula Sh2-71: photometric and spectroscopic variability
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Motalebi F
(2015)
The HARPS-N Rocky Planet Search I. HD 219134 b: A transiting rocky planet in a multi-planet system at 6.5 pc from the Sun ?
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Mocnik T
(2016)
WASP-157b, a Transiting Hot Jupiter Observed with K2
in Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific
McQuillin R
(2012)
Novae in the SuperWASP data base Novae in the SuperWASP data base
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
McCormac J
(2014)
A search for photometric variability towards M71 with the Near-Infrared Transiting ExoplanetS Telescope
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Maxted P
(2013)
WASP-77 Ab: A Transiting Hot Jupiter Planet in a Wide Binary System1
in Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific
Maxted P
(2016)
Five transiting hot Jupiters discovered using WASP-South, Euler , and TRAPPIST: WASP-119 b, WASP-124 b, WASP-126 b, WASP-129 b, and WASP-133 b
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Mahtani D
(2013)
Warm Spitzer occultation photometry of WASP-26b at 3.6 and 4.5 µm
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Lohr M
(2014)
Period and amplitude variations in post-common-envelope eclipsing binaries observed with SuperWASP
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Lendl M
(2014)
WASP-117b: a 10-day-period Saturn in an eccentric and misaligned orbit
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Lendl M
(2012)
WASP-42 b and WASP-49 b: two new transiting sub-Jupiters
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Jones D
(2012)
The morphology and kinematics of the Fine Ring Nebula, planetary nebula Sp 1, and the shaping influence of its binary central star? The morphology of Sp 1
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Hébrard G
(2013)
WASP-52b, WASP-58b, WASP-59b, and WASP-60b: Four new transiting close-in giant planets
in Astronomy & Astrophysics
Huckvale L
(2013)
Spatio-kinematic modelling of Abell 65, a double-shelled planetary nebula with a binary central star?
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Holdsworth D
(2014)
High-frequency A-type pulsators discovered using SuperWASP?†
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Hellier C
(2012)
Seven transiting hot Jupiters from WASP-South, Euler and TRAPPIST: WASP-47b, WASP-55b, WASP-61b, WASP-62b, WASP-63b, WASP-66b and WASP-67b WASP-South hot Jupiters
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Hellier C
(2014)
Transiting hot Jupiters from WASP-South, Euler and TRAPPIST: WASP-95b to WASP-101b
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Haywood R
(2014)
Planets and stellar activity: hide and seek in the CoRoT-7 system?
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Haywood R
(2014)
Disentangling planetary orbits from stellar activity in radial-velocity surveys
in International Journal of Astrobiology
Haywood R
(2014)
Planets and Stellar Activity: Hide and Seek in the CoRoT-7 system
in Proceedings of the International Astronomical Union
Haywood R
(2016)
The Sun as a planet-host star: proxies from SDO images for HARPS radial-velocity variations
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Hay K
(2016)
WASP-92b, WASP-93b and WASP-118b: three new transiting close-in giant planets
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Haswell C
(2012)
NEAR-ULTRAVIOLET ABSORPTION, CHROMOSPHERIC ACTIVITY, AND STAR-PLANET INTERACTIONS IN THE WASP-12 SYSTEM
in The Astrophysical Journal
Description | Continued characterisation of large planets. These objects have the most accurately determined parameters of the population. |
Exploitation Route | used by theorists to understand the planet population. |
Sectors | Education |