Examinando por Autor "Herrero, E."

Mostrando 1 - 5 de 5

Acceso Abierto
A giant exoplanet orbiting a very-low-mass star challenges planet formation models
(American Association for the Advancement of Science, 2019-09-27) Morales, J. C.; Mustill, A. J.; Ribas, I.; Davies, M. B.; Reiners, A.; Bauer, F. F.; Kossakowski, D.; Herrero, E.; Rodríguez, E.; López González, M. J.; Rodríguez López, C.; Cifuentes, C.; Mordasini, C.; Jeffers, S. V.; Rix, H. W.; Ofir, A.; Kürster, M.; Henning, T.; Emsenhuber, A.; Passegger, V. M.; Abellán, F. J.; Rodríguez Trinidad, A.; Pedraz, S.; Aceituno, J.; Seifert, W.; Fernández Martín, A.; Zechmeister, M.; De Juan, E.; Perryman, M. A. C.; Antona, R.; Alonso Floriano, F. J.; Ferro, I. M.; Johnson, E. N.; Labiche, N.; Rebolo, R.; Becerril Jarque, S.; Azzaro, M.; Fuhrmeister, B.; Lizon, J. L.; Perger, M.; Brinkmöller, M.; Berdiñas, Z. M.; Galadí Enríquez, D.; López Santiago, J.; Cortés Contreras, M.; Calvo Ortega, R.; Del Burgo, C.; Gallardo Cava, I.; Rosich, A.; Cardona Guillén, C.; Cano, J.; García Vargas, M. L.; Amado, P. J.; Casanova, V.; Carro, J.; García Piquer, A.; Kaminski, A.; Chaturvedi, P.; Gesa, L.; Abril, M.; Claret, A.; González Álvarez, E.; Ammler von Eiff, M.; Czesla, S.; Barrado, D.; Dorda, R.; González Peinado, R.; Fernández Hernández, Maite; Klüter, J.; Kim, M.; Lara, L. M.; Lampón, M.; López del Fresno, M.; Lodieu, N.; Mancini, L.; Mall, U.; Martín Fernández, P.; Mirabet, E.; Nortmann, L.; Pallé, E.; Caballero, J. A.; Huke, P.; Huber, A.; Holgado, G.; Klutsch, A.; Launhardt, R.; López Salas, F. J.; Stürmer, J.; Suárez, J. C.; Tabernero, H.; Tulloch, S. M.; Veredas, G.; Vico Linares, J. I.; Vilardell, F.; Wagner, K.; Winkler, J.; Wolthoff, V.; Sánchez López, A.; Sánchez Blanco, E.; Sadegi, S.; Labarga, F.; Marfil, E.; Casasayas Barris, N.; Bergond, G.; Martín, E. L.; Mandel, H.; Sarkis, P.; Lázaro, F. J.; Luque, R.; Burn, R.; Marvin, E. L.; Martín Ruiz, S.; Sarmiento, L. F.; González Cuesta, L.; Anglada Escudé, G.; Cárdenas, M. C.; Nelson, R. P.; Moya, A.; Schäfer, S.; Reffert, S.; Casal, E.; Pascual, J.; Nowak, G.; Schlecker, M.; Quirrenbach, A.; Kemmer, J.; Pérez Medialdea, D.; Pavlov, A.; Schmitt, J. H. M. M.; Lalitha, S.; Rabaza, O.; Pérez Calpena, A.; Schöfer, P.; Llamas, M.; Redondo, P.; Ramón Ballesta, A.; Magán Madinabeitia, H.; Rodler, F.; Sota, A.; Marín Molina, J. A.; Sabotta, S.; Stahl, O.; Martínez Rodríguez, H.; Salz, M.; Stock, S.; Naranjo, V.; Sánchez Carrasco, M. A.; Stuber, T.; Sanz Forcada, J.; Johansen, A.; Baroch, D.; Lafarga, M.; Dreizler, S.; Tal Or, L.; Schweitzer, A.; Hagen, H. J.; Guenther, E. W.; Montes, D.; Aceituno, Francisco José; Arroyo Torres, B.; Benítez, D.; Kehr, M.; Béjar, V. J. S.; Zapatero Osorio, M. R.; Yan, F.; Klahr, H.; Nagel, E.; Trifonov, T.; Guàrdia, J.; Guijarro, A.; De Guindos, E.; Hatzes, A. P.; Hauschildt, P. H.; Hedrosa, R. P.; Hermelo, I.; Hernández Arabi, R.; Hernández Otero, F.; Hintz, D.; Díez Alonso, E.; Colomé, J.; González Hernández, Carmen; Solano, Enrique; Israel Science Foundation (ISF); Fondo Nacional de Desarrollo Científico y Tecnológico (FONDECYT); Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF); Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt (DLR); Ministero dell'Istruzione, dell'Università e della Ricerca (MIUR); European Research Council (ERC); Generalitat de Catalunya; Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG); Queen Mary University of London; Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología (CONACYT); Unidad de Excelencia Científica María de Maeztu Centro de Astrobiología del Instituto Nacional de Técnica Aeroespacial y CSIC, MDM-2017-0737; Morales, J. C. [0000-0003-0061-518X]; Mustill, A. J. [0000-0002-2086-3642]; Ribas, I. [0000-0002-6689-0312]; Davies, M. B. [0000-0001-6080-1190]; Bauer, F. F. [0000-0003-1212-5225]; Herrrero, E. [0000-0001-8602-6639]; Rodríguez, E. [0000-0001-6827-9077]; López González, M. J. [0000-0001-8104-5128]; Rodríguez López, C. [0000-0001-5559-7850]; López González, M. J. [0000-0001-8104-5128]; Rodríguez López, C. [0000-0001-5559-7850]; Luque, R. [0000-0002-4671-2957]; López Santiago, J. [0000-0003-2402-8166]; Perger, M. [0000-0001-7098-0372]; Guenther, E. W. [0000-0002-9130-6747]; Schmitt, J. H. M. M. [0000-0003-2554-9916]; Mordasini, C. [0000-0002-1013-2811]; Aceituno, J. [0000-0003-0487-1105]; Stock, S. [0000-0002-1166-9338]; Lafarga, M. [0000-0002-8815-9416]; Nagel, E. [0000-0002-4019-3631]; Barrado, D. [0000-0002-5971-9242]; Tulloch, S. [0000-0003-0840-8521]; Rosich, A. [0000-0002-9141-3067]; Trifonov, T. [0000-0002-0236-775X]; Bergond, G. [0000-0003-3132-9215]; Zapatero Osorio, M. R. [0000-0001-5664-2852]; Kaminski, A. [0000-0003-0203-8208]; Montes, D. [0000-0002-7779-238X]; Cano, J. [0000-0003-1984-5401]; Baroch, D. [0000-0001-7568-5161]; Alonso Floriano, F. J. [0000-0003-1202-5734]; Sabotta, S. [0000-0001-9078-5574]; Ammler-von Eiff, M. [0000-0001-9565-1698]; Chaturvedi, P. [0000-0002-1887-1192]; Anglada Escudé, G. [0000-0002-3645-5977]; Becerril Jarque, S. [0000-0001-9009-1150]; Díez Alonso, E. [0000-0002-5826-9892]; Passegger, V. M. [0000-0002-8569-7243]; Burn, R. [0000-0002-9020-7309]; García Vargas, M. L. [0000-0002-2058-3528]; Amado, P. J. [0000-0002-8388-6040]; Cardona Guillén, C. [0000-0002-2198-4200]; Carro, J. [0000-0002-0838-3603]; Guàrdia, J. [0000-0002-7191-9001]; Abellán, F. J. [0000-0002-5724-1636]; Cifuentes, C. [0000-0003-1715-5087]; Colomé, J. [0000-0002-1678-2241]; Hermelo, I. [0000-0001-9178-694X]; Arroyo Torres, B. [0000-0002-3392-4694]; Emsenhuber, A. [0000-0002-8811-1914]; Fuhrmeister, B. [0000-0001-8321-5514]; Johnson, E. [0000-0003-2260-5134]; Berdiñas, Z. M. [0000-0002-6057-6461]; González Álvarez, E. [0000-0002-4820-2053]; González Cuesta, L. [0000-0002-1241-5508]; González Hernández, J. I. [0000-0002-0264-7356]; Klüter, J. [0000-0002-3469-5133]; Calvo Ortega, R. [0000-0003-3693-6030]; Guijarro, A. [0000-0001-5518-1759]; Lara, L. M. [0000-0002-7184-920X]; Casasayas Barris, N. [0000-0002-2891-8222]; Hintz, D. [0000-0002-5274-2589]; López del Fresno, M. [0000-0002-9479-7780]; Czesla, S. [0000-0002-4203-4773]; De Juan Fernández, E. [0000-0002-9382-4505]; Kehr, M. [0000-0002-7420-7368]; Marín Molina, J. A. [0000-0002-3525-0806]; Galadí Enríquez, D. [0000-0003-4946-5653]; Klutsch, A. [0000-0001-7869-3888]; Labarga, F. [0000-0002-7143-0206]; Martínez Rodríguez, H. [0000-0002-1919-228X]; González Peinado, R. [0000-0002-6658-8930]; Launhardt, R. [0000-0002-8298-2663]; Lizon, J. L. [0000-0001-8928-2566]; Naranjo, V. [0000-0003-0097-1061]; De Guindos, E. [0000-0002-8124-9101]; Magan Madinabeitia, H. [0000-0003-1243-4597]; Aceituno, F. J. [0000-0001-8074-4760]; Manici, L. [0000-0002-9428-8732]; Ofir, A. [0000-0002-9152-5042]; Huke, P. [0000-0001-5913-2743]; Martín, E. [0000-0002-1208-4833]; Rabaza, O. [0000-0003-2766-2103]; Kim, M. [0000-0001-6218-2004]; Marvin, C. J. [0000-0002-2249-2611]; Rodríguez Trinidad, A. [0000-0002-3356-8634]; Lampón, M. [0000-0002-0183-7158]; Nelson, R. [0000-0002-9687-8779]; Nortmann, L. [0000-0001-8419-8760]; Sanz Forcada, J. [0000-0002-1600-7835]; Lodieu, N. [0000-0002-3612-8968]; Pascual Granado, J. [0000-0003-0139-6951]; Pedraz, S. [0000-0003-1346-208X]; Schäfer, S. [0000-0001-8597-8048]; Marfil, E. [0000-0001-8907-4775]; Ramón Ballesta, A. [0000-0002-4323-0610]; Redondo, P. G. [0000-0001-5992-5778]; Schöfer, P. [0000-0002-5969-3708]; Martín Ruiz, S. [0000-0002-9006-7182]; Sadegi, S. [0000-0001-9897-6121]; García Piquer, A. [0000-0002-6872-4262]; Sánchez Carrasco, M. A. [0000-0001-5533-3660]; Stuber, T. [0000-0003-2185-0525]; Moya, A. [0000-0003-1665-5389]; Sarkis, P. [0000-0001-8128-3126]; Vilardell, F. [0000-0003-0441-1504]; Nowak, G. [0000-0002-7031-7754]; Schlecker, M. [0000-0001-8355-2107]; Béjar, V. J. S. [0000-0002-5086-4232]; Pérez Calpena, A. [0000-0001-7361-9240]; Solano, E. [0000-0003-1885-5130]; Sota, A. [https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9404-6952]; Klahr, H. [0000-0002-8227-5467]; Rodler, F. [0000-0003-0650-5723]; Suárez, J. C. [0000-0003-3649-8384]; Tabernero, H. [0000-0002-8087-4298]; Cortés Contreras, M. [0000-0003-3734-9866]; Sánchez López, A. [0000-0002-0516-7956]; Winkler, J. [0000-0003-0568-8820]; Yan, F. [0000-0001-9585-9034]; Reffert, S. [0000-0002-0460-8289]; Sarmiento, L. F. [0000-0002-8475-9705]; Unidad de Excelencia Científica María de Maeztu Centro de Astrobiología del Instituto Nacional de Técnica Aeroespacial y CSIC, MDM-2017-0737; Centros de Excelencia Severo Ochoa, INSTITUTO DE ASTROFISICA DE ANDALUCIA (IAA), SEV-2017-0709
Surveys have shown that super-Earth and Neptune-mass exoplanets are more frequent than gas giants around low-mass stars, as predicted by the core accretion theory of planet formation. We report the discovery of a giant planet around the very-low-mass star GJ 3512, as determined by optical and near-infrared radial-velocity observations. The planet has a minimum mass of 0.46 Jupiter masses, very high for such a small host star, and an eccentric 204-day orbit. Dynamical models show that the high eccentricity is most likely due to planet-planet interactions. We use simulations to demonstrate that the GJ 3512 planetary system challenges generally accepted formation theories, and that it puts constraints on the planet accretion and migration rates. Disk instabilities may be more efficient in forming planets than previously thought.Copyright © 2019 The Authors, some rights reserved; exclusive licensee American Association for the Advancement of Science
Acceso Abierto
A super-Earth on a close-in orbit around the M1V star GJ 740 A HADES and CARMENES collaboration
(EDP Sciences, 2021-04-07) Toledo Padrón, B.; Suárez Mascareño, A.; Rebolo, R.; Pinamonti, M.; Perger, M.; Scandariato, G.; Damasso, M.; Sozzetti, A.; Moldonado, J.; Desidera, S.; Ribas, I.; Micela, G.; Affer, L.; González Álvarez, E.; Leto, G.; Pagano, I.; Zanmar Sánchez, R.; Giacobbe, P.; Herrero, E.; Morales, J. C.; Amado, P. J.; Caballero, J. A.; Quirrenbach, A.; Reiners, A.; Zechmeister, M.; González Hernández, Carmen; Agencia Estatal de Investigación (AEI); Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (MINECO); Generalitat de Catalunya
Context. M-dwarfs have proven to be ideal targets for planetary radial velocity (RV) searches due to their higher planet-star mass contrast, which favors the detection of low-mass planets. The abundance of super-Earth and Earth-like planets detected around this type of star motivates further such research on hosts without reported planetary companions. Aims. The HADES and CARMENES programs are aimed at carrying out extensive searches of exoplanetary systems around M-type stars in the northern hemisphere, allowing us to address, in a statistical sense, the properties of the planets orbiting these objects. In this work, we perform a spectroscopic and photometric study of one of the program stars (GJ 740), which exhibits a short-period RV signal that is compatible with a planetary companion. Methods. We carried out a spectroscopic analysis based on 129 HARPS-N spectra taken over a time span of 6 yr combined with 57 HARPS spectra taken over 4 yr, as well as 32 CARMENES spectra taken during more than 1 yr, resulting in a dataset with a time coverage of 10 yr. We also relied on 459 measurements from the public ASAS survey with a time-coverage of 8 yr, along with 5 yr of photometric magnitudes from the EXORAP project taken in the V, B, R, and I filters to carry out a photometric study. Both analyses were made using Markov chain Monte Carlo simulations and Gaussian process regression to model the activity of the star. Results. We present the discovery of a short-period super-Earth with an orbital period of 2.37756−0.00011+0.00013 d and a minimum mass of 2.96−0.48+0.50 M⊕. We offer an update to the previously reported characterization of the magnetic cycle and rotation period of the star, obtaining values of Prot = 35.563 ± 0.071 d and Pcycle = 2800 ± 150 d. Furthermore, the RV time series exhibits a possibly periodic long-term signal, which might be related to a Saturn-mass planet of ~100 M⊕.
Acceso Abierto
Gliese 49: activity evolution and detection of a super-Earth A HADES and CARMENES collaboration
(EDP Sciences, 2019-04-24) Perger, M.; Scandariato, G.; Ribas, I.; Morales, J. C.; Affer, L.; Azzaro, M.; Amado, P. J.; Anglada Escudé, G.; Baroch, D.; Barrado, D.; Bauer, F. F.; Béjar, V. J. S.; Caballero, J. A.; Cortés Contreras, M.; Damasso, M.; Dreizler, S.; González Cuesta, L.; Guenther, E. W.; Henning, T.; Herrero, E.; Jeffers, S. V.; Kaminski, A.; Kürster, M.; Lafarga, M.; Leto, G.; López González, M. J.; Maldonado, J.; Micela, G.; Montes, D.; Pinamonti, M.; Quirrenbach, A.; Rebolo, R.; Reiners, A.; Rodríguez, E.; Rodríguez López, C.; Schimitt, J. H. M. M.; Sozzetti, A.; Suárez Mascareño, A.; Toledo Padrón, B.; Zanmar Sánchez, R.; Zapatero Osorio, M. R.; Zechmeister, M.; González Hernández, Carmen; Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (MINECO); European Commission (EC); Agencia Estatal de Investigación (AEI); 0000-0001-7098-0372; Centros de Excelencia Severo Ochoa, INSTITUTO DE ASTROFISICA DE ANDALUCIA (IAA), SEV-2017-0709; Unidad de Excelencia Científica María de Maeztu Centro de Astrobiología del Instituto Nacional de Técnica Aeroespacial y CSIC, MDM-2017-0737
Context. Small planets around low-mass stars often show orbital periods in a range that corresponds to the temperate zones of their host stars which are therefore of prime interest for planet searches. Surface phenomena such as spots and faculae create periodic signals in radial velocities and in observational activity tracers in the same range, so they can mimic or hide true planetary signals. Aims. We aim to detect Doppler signals corresponding to planetary companions, determine their most probable orbital configurations, and understand the stellar activity and its impact on different datasets. Methods. We analyzed 22 yr of data of the M1.5 V-type star Gl 49 (BD+61 195) including HARPS-N and CARMENES spectrographs, complemented by APT2 and SNO photometry. Activity indices are calculated from the observed spectra, and all datasets are analyzed with periodograms and noise models. We investigated how the variation of stellar activity imprints on our datasets. We further tested the origin of the signals and investigate phase shifts between the different sets. To search for the best-fit model we maximize the likelihood function in a Markov chain Monte Carlo approach. Results. As a result of this study, we are able to detect the super-Earth Gl 49b with a minimum mass of 5.6 M⊕. It orbits its host star with a period of 13.85 d at a semi-major axis of 0.090 au and we calculate an equilibrium temperature of 350 K and a transit probability of 2.0%. The contribution from the spot-dominated host star to the different datasets is complex, and includes signals from the stellar rotation at 18.86 d, evolutionary timescales of activity phenomena at 40–80 d, and a long-term variation of at least four years.
Acceso Abierto
HADES RV programme with HARPS-N at TNG XIV. A candidate super-Earth orbiting the M-dwarf GJ 9689 with a period close to half the stellar rotation period
(EDP Sciences, 2021-07-12) Maldonado, J.; Petralia, A.; Damasso, M.; Pinamonti, M.; Scandariato, G.; González Álvarez, E.; Affer, L.; Micela, G.; Lanza, A. F.; Leto, G.; Poretti, E.; Sozzetti, A.; Perger, M.; Giacobbe, P.; Zanmar Sánchez, R.; Maggio, A.; Rebolo, R.; Ribas, I.; Suárez Mascareño, A.; Toledo Padrón, B.; Bignamini, A.; Molinari, E.; Covino, E.; Claudi, R.; Desidera, S.; Herrero, E.; Morales, J. C.; Pagano, I.; Piotto, G.; González Hernández, Carmen; Agencia Estatal de Investigación (AEI); Generalitat de Catalunya; Maldonado, J. [0000-0002-2218-5689]; Petralia, A. [0000-0002-9882-1020]; Damasso, M. [0000-0001-9984-4278]; Pinamonti, M. [0000-0002-4445-1845]; Affer, L. [0000-0001-5600-3778]; Lanza, A. F. [0000-0001-5928-7251]; Leto, G. [0000-0002-0040-5011]; Poretti, E. [0000-0003-1200-0473]; Sozzetti, A. [0000-0002-7504-365X]; Perger, M. [0000-0001-7098-0372]; Zanmar Sánchez, R. [0000-0002-6997-0887]; Maggio, A. [0000-0001-5154-6108]; González Hernández, J. I. [0000-0002-0264-7356]; Ribas, I. [0000-0002-6689-0312]; Toledo Padrón, B. [0000-0002-8194-215X]; Bignamini, A. [0000-0002-5606-6354]; Molinari, E. [0000-0002-1742-7735]; Covino, E. [0000-0002-7579-2298]; Claudi, R. [0000-0001-7707-5105]; Desidera, S. [0000-0001-8613-2589]
Context. It is now well-established that small, rocky planets are common around low-mass stars. However, the detection of such planets is challenged by the short-term activity of host stars. Aims. The HARPS-N red Dwarf Exoplanet Survey programme is a long-term project at the Telescopio Nazionale Galileo aimed at monitoring nearby, early-type, M dwarfs, using the HARPS-N spectrograph to search for small, rocky planets. Methods. A total of 174 HARPS-N spectroscopic observations of the M0.5V-type star GJ 9689 taken over the past seven years have been analysed. We combined these data with photometric measurements to disentangle signals related to the stellar activity of the star from possible Keplerian signals in the radial velocity data. We ran an MCMC analysis, applying Gaussian process regression techniques to model the signals present in the data. Results. We identify two periodic signals in the radial velocity time series, with periods of 18.27 and 39.31 d. The analysis of the activity indexes, photometric data, and wavelength dependency of the signals reveals that the 39.31 d signal corresponds to the stellar rotation period. On the other hand, the 18.27 d signal shows no relation to any activity proxy or the first harmonic of the rotation period. We, therefore, identify it as a genuine Keplerian signal. The best-fit model describing the newly found planet, GJ 9689 b, corresponds to an orbital period of Pb = 18.27 ± 0.01 d and a minimum mass of MP sini = 9.65 ± 1.41 M⊕.
Acceso Abierto
The EChO science case
(Springer Link, 2015-11-29) Tinetti, G.; Drossart, P.; Eccleston, P.; Hartogh, P.; Isaak, K.; Linder, M.; Lovis, C.; Micela, G.; Olliver, M.; Puig, L.; Ribas, I.; Schrader, J. R.; Scholz, A.; Watkins, C.; Maillard, J. P.; Abreu, M.; Glasse, A.; Testi, L.; Doel, P.; Magnes, W.; Licandro Goldaracena, J.; Wawer, P.; Zapatero Osorio, M. R.; Decin, L.; Sánz Forcada, J.; Vakili, F.; Aylward, A.; Swain, M.; Sozzetti, A.; Filacchione, G.; Delgado Mena, E.; Read, P.; Lognonné, P.; Irshad, R.; Coates, A.; Cecchi Pestellini, C.; Thrastarson, H.; Brown, L.; Guillot, T.; Strazzulla, G.; Barstow, J. K.; Budaj, J.; Morgante, G.; Pietrzak, R.; Leconte, J.; Hersant, F.; De Sio, A.; Grassi, D.; Selsis, F.; Jarchow, C.; Fouqué, P.; Del Vecchio, C.; Tennyson, J.; Cassan, A.; Fernández Hernández, Maite; Burleigh, M. R.; Cordier, D.; De Witt, J.; Pagano, I.; Ray, T.; Gambicorti, L.; Palla, F.; Maldonado, J.; Biondi, D.; Eiroa, C.; Winek, W.; Ade, P.; Villaver, E.; Temple, J.; Gear, W.; Thompson, S.; Dominic, C.; Galand, M.; Focardi, M.; Cockell, C.; Pace, E.; Dorfi, E.; Bryson, I.; Cavarroc, C.; Pilat Lohinger, E.; Smith, A.; Eymet, V.; MacTavish, C.; Morales, J. C.; Gómez, H.; Stamper, R.; Esposito, M.; Andersen, A.; Azzollini, R.; Maxted, P.; Allende Prieto, C.; Nelson, R.; Gillon, M.; Achilleos, N.; Buchhave, L. A.; Fabrizio, N.; Ciaravella, A.; Claudi, R.; Damasso, M.; Bordé, P.; Figueira, P.; Rickman, H.; Rees, J. M.; Sitek, P.; Fossey, S.; Bakos, G.; Pascale, E.; Laken, B.; Soret, L.; Femenía Castella, B.; Allard, F.; Amado, P. J.; Luzzi, D.; Colomé, J.; Galand, M.; Lammer, H.; Bonford, B.; López Valverde, M. A.; Kerins, E.; Yung, Y.; Espinoza Contreras, M.; Irwin, P.; Herrero, E.; Wright, G.; Guàrdia, J.; Banaszkiewicz, M.; Hoogeeven, R.; Alcala, J.; Guio, P.; Koskinen, T.; Barton, E. J.; Piskunov, N.; Maurin, A. S.; Leto, G.; Boisse, I.; Claret, A.; Massi, F.; Kervella, P.; Börne, P.; Heiter, U.; Hargrave, P.; Fletcher, L.; Sánchez Béjar, V. J.; Bézard, B.; Cabral, A.; Michaut, C.; Winter, B.; Sousa, S.; Giuranna, M.; Batista, V.; Frith, J.; Ballerini, P.; López Morales, M.; Monteiro, M.; Tingley, B. W.; Lanza, N.; Maggio, A.; Lundgaard Rasmussen, I.; Altieri, F.; Covino, E.; Coustenis, A.; Heredero, R. L.; Watson, D.; Coudé du Foresto, V.; Liu, S. J.; Sicardy, B.; Deeg, H. J.; Moses, J.; Rodler, F.; Lithgow Bertelloni, C.; Demangeon, O.; Adybekian, V.; Fletcher, L.; Swinyard, B.; Morales Calderón, M.; Fouqué, P.; Deroo, P.; Lo Cicero, Ugo; Hueso, R.; Iro, N.; González Merino, B.; López Puertas, M.; Capria, M. T.; Danielski, C.; Branduardi Raymont, G.; Luntzer, A.; Gaulme, P.; Bulgarelli, A.; Parmentier, V.; Gerard, J. C.; Alard, C.; Frith, J.; Dobrijévic, M.; Medvedev, A.; Barrado, D.; Jacquemoud, S.; Sethenadh, J.; Readorn, K.; Polichtchouk, I.; Petrov, R.; García Piquer, A.; Tabernero, H. M.; White, G.; Pancrazzi, M.; García López, Ramón; Filacchione, G.; Gómez Leal, I.; Rengel, M.; Gesa, L.; Tanga, P.; Mueller Wodarg, I.; Israelian, G.; Rebolo López, R.; Shore, S.; Peralta, J.; Collura, A.; Giro, E.; Del Val Borro, M.; Griffith, C.; Tecsa, M.; Haigh, J.; Moro Martín, A.; Jones, H.; Gizon, L.; Pezzuto, S.; Giani, E.; Mall, U.; Eales, S.; Graczyk, R.; Ramos Zapata, G.; Krupp, N.; Sánchez Lavega, A.; Fossey, S.; Alonso Floriano, F. J.; Justtanot, K.; Santos, N.; Pérez Hoyos, S.; Savini, G.; Chamberlain, S.; Bowles, N.; Kerschbaum, F.; Tozzi, A.; Turrini, D.; Kipping, D.; Maruquette, J. B.; Correira, A.; Trifoglio, M.; Agúndez, Marcelino; Scandaratio, G.; Snellen, I. A.; Scuderi, S.; Femenía Castella, B.; Prisinzano, L.; Oliva, E.; Hébrard, E.; Lodieu, N.; Forget, F.; Chadney, J.; Showman, A.; Gustin, J.; Vinatier, S.; Charnoz, S.; Affer, L.; Rank Lüftinger, T.; Poretti, E.; Lahav, O.; North, C.; Gerard, J. C.; Murgas Alcaino, F.; Yurchenko, S. N.; Widemann, T.; Ward Thompson, D.; Montañés Rodríguez, P.; Kovács, G.; Valdivieso, M. L.; Moya Bedon, A.; Montalto, M.; Christian Jessen, N.; Venot, O.; Koskinen, T.; Lagage, P. O.; Bellucci, G.; Prinja, R.; Pinfield, D.; Banaszkiewicz, M.; Waldmann, I.; Jones, G.; Morello, G.; Crook, J.; Lim, T.; Parviainen, H.; Pallé, E.; Ramos, A. A.; Sanromá, E.; Waters, R.; Morais, H.; Stiepen, A.; Lellouch, E.; Orton, G.; Rezac, L.; Beaulieu, J. P.; Focardi, M.; Mauskopf, P.; Barlow, M.; Guedel, M.; Waltham, D.; Agnor, C.; Encrenaz, T.; Cerulli, R.; Balado, A.; Bouy, H.; Rebordao, J.; Stolarski, M.; Álvarez Iglesias, C. A.; Adriani, A.; Rocchetto, M.; Norgaard Nielsen, H. U.; Hollis, M.; Selig, A.; Malaguti, G.; Burston, R.; Peña Ramírez, K. Y.; Schmider, F. X.; Baffa, C.; Heyrovsky, D.; Figueira, P.; Piccioni, G.; Ottensamer, R.; Radioti, A.; Yelle, R.; Pantin, E.; Miles Paez, P.; Belmonte Avilés, J. A.; Montes, D.; Varley, R.; Viti, S.; Abe, L.; Pinsard, F.; Tessenyi, M.; Di Giorgio, A.; Turrini, D.; Terenzi, L.; Hubert, B.; Griffin, M.; Barber, R. J.; Cole, R.; Gianotti, F.; Blecka, M.; Wawrzaszk, A.; Middleton, K.; De Kok, R.; Martín Torres, Javier; Kehoe, T.; Cho, J.; Machado, P.; Berry, D.; Wisniowski, T.; Grodent, D.; Rataj, M.; Hornstrup, A.; Kerschbaum, F.; Vandenbussche, B.; Stixrude, L.; González Hernández, Carmen; Rebordao, J. [0000-0002-7418-0345]; Kerschbaum, F. [0000-0001-6320-0980]; Abreu, M. [0000-0002-0716-9568]; Tabernero, H. [0000-0002-8087-4298]; López Puertas, M. [0000-0003-2941-7734]; Jacquemoud, S. [0000-0002-1500-5256]; Tennyson, J. [0000-0002-4994-5238]; Focardi, M. [0000-0002-3806-4283]; Leto, G. [0000-0002-0040-5011]; Lodieu, N. [0000-0002-3612-8968]; Tinetti, G. [0000-0001-6058-6654]; Bulgarelli, A. [0000-0001-6347-0649]; Morales Calderon, M. [0000-0001-9526-9499]; Ward Thompson, D. [0000-0003-1140-2761]; Rebolo, R. [0000-0003-3767-7085]; López Valverde, M. A. [0000-0002-7989-4267]; Gillon, M. [0000-0003-1462-7739]; Morgante, G. [0000-0001-9234-7412]; Pena Ramírez, K. [0000-0002-5855-401X]; Galand, M. [0000-0001-5797-914X]; Pancrazzi, M. [0000-0002-3789-2482]; Pilat Lohinger, E. [0000-0002-5292-1923]; Altieri, F. [0000-0002-6338-8300]; Malaguti, G. [0000-0001-9872-3378]; Sánchez Lavega, A. [0000-0001-7234-7634]; Waldmann, I. [0000-0002-4205-5267]; Kovacs, G. [0000-0002-2365-2330]; Guillot, T. [0000-0002-7188-8428]; Monteiro, M. [0000-0001-5644-0898]; Bellucci, G. [0000-0003-0867-8679]; Baffa, C. [0000-0002-4935-100X]; Olivia, E. [0000-0002-9123-0412]; Tizzi, A. [0000-0002-6725-3825]; Selsis, F. [0000-0001-9619-5356]; Scuderi, Salvatore [0000-0002-8637-2109]; Hersant, F. [0000-0002-2687-7500]; Gear, W. [0000-0001-6789-6196]; Damasso, M. [0000-0001-9984-4278]; Irwin, P. [0000-0002-6772-384X]; Pinfield, D. [0000-0002-7804-4260]; Kipping, D. [0000-0002-4365-7366]; Maldonado, J. [0000-0002-4282-1072]; Pace, E. [0000-0001-5870-1772]; Burleigh, M. [0000-0003-0684-7803]; Chadney, J. [0000-0002-5174-2114]; Moro Martín, A. [0000-0001-9504-8426]; Claret, A. [0000-0002-4045-8134]; Rodríguez, P. [0000-0002-6855-9682]; Bezard, B. [0000-0002-5433-5661]; Gómez, H. [0000-0003-3398-0052]; Maldonado, J. [0000-0002-2218-5689]; Michaut, C. [0000-0002-2578-0117]; Hornstrup, A. [0000-0002-3363-0936]; Scholz, A. [0000-0001-8993-5053]; Sánchez Bejar, V. [0000-0002-5086-4232]; López Heredero, R. [0000-0002-2197-8388]; Sanz Forcada, J. [0000-0002-1600-7835]; Danielski, C. [0000-0002-3729-2663]; Vandenbussche, B. [0000-0002-1368-3109]; Sousa, S. [0000-0001-9047-2965]; Medved, A. [0000-0003-2713-8977]; Tinetti, G. [0000-0001-6058-6654]; Bakos, G. [0000-0001-7204-6727]; Ade, P. [0000-0002-5127-0401]; Amado, P. J. [0000-0002-8388-6040]; Martín Torres, J. [0000-0001-6479-2236]; Correira, A. [0000-0002-8946-8579]; Haigh, J. [0000-0001-5504-4754]; Scandariato, G. [0000-0003-2029-0626]; Guedel, M. [0000-0001-9818-0588]; Piskunov, N. [0000-0001-5742-7767]; Adibekyan, V. [0000-0002-0601-6199]; Pérez Hoyos, S. [0000-0001-9797-4917]; Poretti, E. [0000-0003-1200-0473]; Maggio, A. [0000-0001-5154-6108]; Kervella, P. [0000-0003-0626-1749]; Pascale, E. [0000-0002-3242-8154]; Claudi, R. [0000-0001-7707-5105]; Filacchione, G. [0000-0001-9567-0055]; Rickman, H. [0000-0002-9603-6619]; Sanroma, E. [0000-0001-8859-7937]; Agundez, M. [0000-0003-3248-3564]; Montes, D. [0000-0002-7779-238X]; Fletcher, L. [0000-0001-5834-9588]; Rataj, M. [0000-0002-2978-9629]; Stixrude, L. [0000-0003-3778-2432]; Montes, D. [0000-0002-7779-238X]; Morais, M. H. [0000-0001-5333-2736]; Hueso, R. [0000-0003-0169-123X]; Yurchenko, S. [0000-0001-9286-9501]; Morales, J. C. [0000-0003-0061-518X]; Pérez Hoyos, S. [0000-0002-2587-4682]; Santos, N. [0000-0003-4422-2919]; Peralta, J. [0000-0002-6823-1695]; Budaj, J. [0000-0002-9125-7340]; Barlow, M. [0000-0002-3875-1171]; Deeg, H. [0000-0003-0047-4241]; Grassi, D. [0000-0003-1653-3066]; Piccioni, G. [0000-0002-7893-6808]; Barton, E. [0000-0001-5945-9244]; Abreu, M. [0000-0002-0716-9568]; Ribas, I. [0000-0002-6689-0312]; Coates, A. [0000-0002-6185-3125]; García Ramón, J. [0000-0002-8204-6832]; Bouy, H. [0000-0002-7084-487X[; Lognonne, P. [0000-0002-1014-920X]; Demangeon, O. [0000-0001-7918-0355]; Ray, T. [0000-0002-2110-1068]; Guio, P. [0000-0002-1607-5862]; Tanga, P. [0000-0002-2718-997X]; Delgado, M. E. [0000-0003-4434-2195]; Leto, G. [0000-0002-0040-5011]; Prisinzano, L. [0000-0002-8893-2210]; Barstow, J. [0000-0003-3726-5419]; Balado, A. [0000-0003-4268-2516]; Lithgow Bertelloni, C. [0000-0003-0924-6587]; Zapatero Osorio, M. R. [0000-0001-5664-2852]; Affer, L. [0000-0001-5600-3778]; Ciaravella, A. [0000-0002-3127-8078]; Barrado Navascues, D. [0000-0002-5971-9242]; Figueira, P. [0000-0001-8504-283X]; Covino, E. [0000-0002-6187-6685]; Venot, O. [0000-0003-2854-765X]; Cabral, A. [0000-0002-9433-871X]; Watson, D. [0000-0002-4465-8264]; Turrini, D. [0000-0002-1923-7740]
The discovery of almost two thousand exoplanets has revealed an unexpectedly diverse planet population. We see gas giants in few-day orbits, whole multi-planet systems within the orbit of Mercury, and new populations of planets with masses between that of the Earth and Neptune—all unknown in the Solar System. Observations to date have shown that our Solar System is certainly not representative of the general population of planets in our Milky Way. The key science questions that urgently need addressing are therefore: What are exoplanets made of? Why are planets as they are? How do planetary systems work and what causes the exceptional diversity observed as compared to the Solar System? The EChO (Exoplanet Characterisation Observatory) space mission was conceived to take up the challenge to explain this diversity in terms of formation, evolution, internal structure and planet and atmospheric composition. This requires in-depth spectroscopic knowledge of the atmospheres of a large and well-defined planet sample for which precise physical, chemical and dynamical information can be obtained. In order to fulfil this ambitious scientific program, EChO was designed as a dedicated survey mission for transit and eclipse spectroscopy capable of observing a large, diverse and well-defined planet sample within its 4-year mission lifetime. The transit and eclipse spectroscopy method, whereby the signal from the star and planet are differentiated using knowledge of the planetary ephemerides, allows us to measure atmospheric signals from the planet at levels of at least 10−4 relative to the star. This can only be achieved in conjunction with a carefully designed stable payload and satellite platform. It is also necessary to provide broad instantaneous wavelength coverage to detect as many molecular species as possible, to probe the thermal structure of the planetary atmospheres and to correct for the contaminating effects of the stellar photosphere. This requires wavelength coverage of at least 0.55 to 11 μm with a goal of covering from 0.4 to 16 μm. Only modest spectral resolving power is needed, with R ~ 300 for wavelengths less than 5 μm and R ~ 30 for wavelengths greater than this. The transit spectroscopy technique means that no spatial resolution is required. A telescope collecting area of about 1 m2 is sufficiently large to achieve the necessary spectro-photometric precision: for the Phase A study a 1.13 m2 telescope, diffraction limited at 3 μm has been adopted. Placing the satellite at L2 provides a cold and stable thermal environment as well as a large field of regard to allow efficient time-critical observation of targets randomly distributed over the sky. EChO has been conceived to achieve a single goal: exoplanet spectroscopy. The spectral coverage and signal-to-noise to be achieved by EChO, thanks to its high stability and dedicated design, would be a game changer by allowing atmospheric composition to be measured with unparalleled exactness: at least a factor 10 more precise and a factor 10 to 1000 more accurate than current observations. This would enable the detection of molecular abundances three orders of magnitude lower than currently possible and a fourfold increase from the handful of molecules detected to date. Combining these data with estimates of planetary bulk compositions from accurate measurements of their radii and masses would allow degeneracies associated with planetary interior modelling to be broken, giving unique insight into the interior structure and elemental abundances of these alien worlds. EChO would allow scientists to study exoplanets both as a population and as individuals. The mission can target super-Earths, Neptune-like, and Jupiter-like planets, in the very hot to temperate zones (planet temperatures of 300–3000 K) of F to M-type host stars. The EChO core science would be delivered by a three-tier survey. The EChO Chemical Census: This is a broad survey of a few-hundred exoplanets, which allows us to explore the spectroscopic and chemical diversity of the exoplanet population as a whole. The EChO Origin: This is a deep survey of a subsample of tens of exoplanets for which significantly higher signal to noise and spectral resolution spectra can be obtained to explain the origin of the exoplanet diversity (such as formation mechanisms, chemical processes, atmospheric escape). The EChO Rosetta Stones: This is an ultra-high accuracy survey targeting a subsample of select exoplanets. These will be the bright “benchmark” cases for which a large number of measurements would be taken to explore temporal variations, and to obtain two and three dimensional spatial information on the atmospheric conditions through eclipse-mapping techniques. If EChO were launched today, the exoplanets currently observed are sufficient to provide a large and diverse sample. The Chemical Census survey would consist of > 160 exoplanets with a range of planetary sizes, temperatures, orbital parameters and stellar host properties. Additionally, over the next 10 years, several new ground- and space-based transit photometric surveys and missions will come on-line (e.g. NGTS, CHEOPS, TESS, PLATO), which will specifically focus on finding bright, nearby systems. The current rapid rate of discovery would allow the target list to be further optimised in the years prior to EChO’s launch and enable the atmospheric characterisation of hundreds of planets.