Constraining the composition of rocky exoplanets using stellar spectroscopy Although several extrasolar planets have been detected in the last decade around solar-type stars, we are still unable to measure their chemical composition. This project aims to constrain the composition of rocky exoplanets, which is fundamental not only to assess the habitability of exoplanets and constrain […]
White dwarfs and exoplanets Leer más »
The post-main sequence stellar evolution can have catastrophic consequences for orbiting planets. With the expansion of the star’s envelope during the red giant branch, some exoplanets are likely engulfed, producing changes in the surface chemical composition of the star. There are no clear chemical signatures that are unequivocally associated with this event, but the enhancement
Signatures of planet engulfment in red giant stars Leer más »
Lithium (Li)-rich giants are particularly rare. According to standard stellar evolution, red giant branch stars should have very low Li abundances. Additionally, we can consider the reduced Li abundances found in the main sequence, hinting at an additional depletion there, and the extra-mixing mechanism decreasing the Li after the luminosity function bump. In this scenario,
Explaining lithium-rich red giant branch stars Leer más »
