CHEOPS, an ESA mission with the participation of DLR, was launched in 2019. CHEOPS analyses known planets, determines their radius with very high accuracy and detects other planets in the system.
Exoplanets exhibit a wide range of properties, e.g. radius, mass and orbital period, which we do not find in our solar system. Knowing the radius of a planet and its mass at the same time allows us to estimate its mean density and constrain the possible composition and structure of the planet. In this way, we can infer the nature of the planet: Is it a rocky planet? Are there perhaps oceans on it? Or is it a gas giant?
The exoplanet WASP-103b only takes 22 hours to orbit its star. It is subject to strong tidal forces and therefore deforms. This was discovered using measurements from the CHEOPS space telescope.
We search for extrasolar planets and determine their properties. We develop models that describe the atmospheres of the planets. We want to find out what makes a planet favourable to life. Through observations, either with space telescopes or with ground-based equipment, we can find out how planets in our solar system and beyond are structured, what materials they are made of, whether they have an atmosphere and what it consists of. We are developing new techniques, models and theories to understand the conditions for habitability and for remote sensing of biosignatures. We design and operate exoplanet space missions and exploit the acquired data.
NGTS - Next Generation Transit Survey, telescope facility with 12 telescopes in the Atacama Desert, search for Neptune-sized planets around cool dwarfs
KESPRINT, cooperation to analyse exoplanets discovered by NASA's K2 and Tess missions
We have developed a state-of-the-art atmospheric climate-biogeochemical model for terrestrial planets (1D-TERRA) with photochemistry and unique air-shower physics.
We are international leaders in analysing extrasolar planetary data obtained with space telescopes.
We are developing a holistic modelling approach for different planets and exoplanets that complements 3D Earth and solar system modelling.
We have extensive experience in analysing observations used to determine the internal structure of a planet, such as the Love number.
We compare solar and extrasolar planets, especially the atmospheres of (early) Earth, Venus and Mars.
