P4: Spectral analyses of CARMENES host stars

For the search of exoplanets it is crucially important to understand the host stars. The exoplanets mass can only be calculated when knowing the mass of the host star. Furthermore, quantities like metallicity, age and rotation of the host star put constraints on the environment and conditions under which a planet formed. Using PHOENIX models measureable quantities like effective Temperature Teff, surface gravity log(g) and metallicity z can be approximated. These then yield mass, radius and other important parameters of the host stars.

Aim:

  • Analysis of host stars using PHOENIX models.
  • Quantify and minimize systematic errors

Project Outline:

  • We analyse spectra of host stars using existing or optimized methods in collaboration with CARMENES consortium using their data.
  • We develop, and adjust in fine margins, a set of microphysical data that minimize the errors of our analysis. It is planned to collaborate with the Lothar Collatz Center for Computing of the Department of Mathematics of the University of Hamburg.
  • By coordinating the progress we converge and reiterate for an optimized, consistent model.