CARMENES: focusing on small planets around nearby M dwarfs

by Dr. Lev Tal-Or

Ariel U.

at Astrophysics and Cosmology Seminar

Wed, 02 Nov 2022, 11:10
Sacta-Rashi Building for Physics (54), room 207

Abstract

CARMENES is a radial-velocity (RV) survey for exoplanets around nearby M dwarf stars. Using
a high-resolution dual-channel spectrograph, it provides M-star RV measurements with a precision
down to ~1 m/s. In six years of surveying >300 nearby M-dwarfs, we have detected >30 new
planets, including habitable-zone Earth-mass planets (Teegarden’s Star b&c) and planets that
challenge planet-formation models (GJ 3512 b). Some of the new planets are amenable for
characterization by direct-imaging and astrometric instruments. CARMENES was also used to
estimate the masses of ~12 transiting planets around nearby M dwarfs, including AU Mic b&c.
CARMENES’ unique design allows addressing additional questions related to M dwarfs and close-
in planets, such as the spectroscopic manifestation of photospheric activity and rotation, magnetic
field strength of active stars, and the atmospheric composition of hot massive planets. In the talk,
I will give a brief overview of the latest results from CARMENES and an outlook to its future.

Created on 29-10-2022 by Zitrin, Adi (zitrin)
Updaded on 29-10-2022 by Zitrin, Adi (zitrin)