Brazil in Space: astrophysics and engineering

• Grant number: 16/13750-6
• Support Opportunities: Special Projects
• Start date: March 01, 2019
• End date: February 28, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Astronomy - Stellar Astrophysics
• Principal Investigator: Eduardo Janot Pacheco
• Grantee: Eduardo Janot Pacheco
• Host Institution: Instituto de Astronomia, Geofísica e Ciências Atmosféricas (IAG). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• City of the host institution: São Paulo
• Principal investigators: Sylvio Ferraz de Mello ; Tatiana Alexandrovna Michtchenko
• Associated researchers: Adriana Benetti Marques Valio ; Claudia de Alencar Santos Janot Pacheco ; Érico Lucas Marques ; Fábio de Oliveira Fialho ; Fuad Kassab Junior ; Karin Silvia Franzoni Fornazier Guimarães ; Laerte Brandão Paes de Andrade ; Leonardo Pinheiro da Silva ; Luander Bernardes ; Marcelo Emilio ; Maria Cristina de Assis Rabello Soares ; Roberto Bertoldo Menezes ; Rodrigo Carlos Boufleur ; Sergio Ribeiro Augusto ; Vanderlei Cunha Parro
• Associated scholarship(s): 25/07376-3 - Development of a pipeline for the treatment and analysis of light curves, BP.TT; 25/07377-0 - Development of test methodology, test cases and SimuCam validation tools., BP.TT; 25/07378-6 - Market Analysis, Intellectual Property and Technology Transfer of SimuCam to the Aerospace Sector, BP.TT; + associated scholarships 24/03937-8 - Implementation and integration of IT services for the attitude control simulation system and instrumental corrections of the PLATO mission in LTE - Part II, BP.TT; 23/16572-5 - Real-time software development using VHDL language for maintenance and innovation of simulators and aerospace systems., BP.TT; 23/10700-1 - Exoplanets, Habitable Zone and Comparative Anatomy of Atmospheres, BP.IC; 23/10763-3 - USER INTERFACE DEVELOPMENT FOR THE PLATO SCIENTIFIC SATELLITE ATTITUDE CONTROL SYSTEM SIMULATOR, BP.IC; 23/03060-6 - An extension of the hydrodynamic tide model (creep tide) to the case of non-zero obliquity, BP.TT; 23/02550-0 - Real-time software development using VHDL language for critical applications., BP.TT; 22/14024-8 - Implementation and integration of IT services for the Attitude Control System simulator and instrumental corrections of the PLATO mission in LTE., BP.TT; 19/21605-4 - Verification and validation of embedded scientific software for the PLATO mission, BP.TT; 19/14205-0 - Research and development of embedded software for the PLATO mission, BP.TT; 19/14206-6 - Research and development on attitude control for the PLATO mission, BP.TT; 18/19585-2 - Attitude Control and Jitter Photometric Correction of PLATO 2.0 Space Mission, BE.PQ; 16/20189-9 - Dynamic evolution due to tide in differentiated exoplanets and satellites, BP.PD - associated scholarships

Abstract

Discoveries in the last decades have stimulated the use of interdisciplinary tools to study exoplanets and, naturally, astrobiology. These efforts are helping to understand complex phenomena as, for instance, planetary habitability. Science is trying to answer ancient questions as: Are there planets similar to ours outside the solar system? Is life a common phenomenon in the universe? How life originated on Earth? What is the future of life on Earth? In this thematic project we will study some open questions in the field of exoplanets and habitability. Brazil is participating in the development of science and engineering of ESA's Cosmic Vision program medium-class satellite PLATO 2.0 to be launched in 2024. PLATO main objective is to find and study a large number of extrasolar planetary systems, with emphasis on the properties of terrestrial planets in the habitable zone. The engineer aspect of this project comprises part of its payload design and development. Brazilian scientific community will have access to PLATO's scientific data in a pro-rata sharing with its partner countries. (AU)

Scientific publications

(32)

(The scientific publications listed on this page originate from the Web of Science or SciELO databases. Their authors have cited FAPESP grant or fellowship project numbers awarded to Principal Investigators or Fellowship Recipients, whether or not they are among the authors. This information is collected automatically and retrieved directly from those bibliometric databases.)

MENEGALDO, CAUE G.; FIALHO, FABIO DE O.; JANOT-PACHECO, EDUARDO; PAIT, FELIPE M.; LAPEYRERE, VINCENT. PicSat's Enduring Legacy. Probing the Flight of a Small Astronomical Satellite. Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific, v. 134, n. 1033, p. 20-pg., 2022-03-01. (18/19585-2, 16/13750-6)

BARROS, DOUGLAS A.; PEREZ-VILLEGAS, ANGELES; MICHTCHENKO, TATIANA A.; LEPINE, JACQUES R. D.. Dynamics of the Spiral-Arm Corotation and Its Observable Footprints in the Solar Neighborhood. FRONTIERS IN ASTRONOMY AND SPACE SCIENCES, v. 8, p. 19-pg., 2021-04-20. (09/54006-4, 16/13750-6)

BARROS, DOUGLAS A.; PEREZ-VILLEGAS, ANGELES; LEPINE, JACQUES R. D.; MICHTCHENKO, TATIANA A.; VIEIRA, RONALDO S. S.. Exploring the Origin of Moving Groups and Diagonal Ridges by Simulations of Stellar Orbits and Birthplaces. ASTROPHYSICAL JOURNAL, v. 888, n. 2, JAN 10 2020. (17/15893-1, 16/13750-6)

GIUPPONE, CRISTIAN A.; RODRIGUEZ, ADRIAN; MICHTCHENKO, TATIANA A.; DE ALMEIDA, AMAURY A.. ast and present dynamics of the circumbinary moons in the Pluto-Charon syste. Astronomy & Astrophysics, v. 658, FEB 4 2022. (09/54006-4, 16/13750-6)

FERRAZ-MELLO, S.; BEAUGE, C.. Tidal evolution of close-in exoplanets and host stars. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, v. 523, n. 4, p. 10-pg., 2023-06-22. (16/13750-6)

GOMES, G. O.; FOLONIER, H. A.; FERRAZ-MELLO, S.. Rotation and figure evolution in the creep tide theory: a new approach and application to Mercury. CELESTIAL MECHANICS & DYNAMICAL ASTRONOMY, v. 131, n. 12, DEC 2019. (17/25224-0, 16/20189-9, 16/13750-6)

ZOPPETTI, F. A.; FOLONIER, H.; LEIVA, A. M.; GOMES, G. O.. Orbital evolution of circumbinary planets due to creep tides. Astronomy & Astrophysics, v. 666, p. 14-pg., 2022-10-10. (16/20189-9, 16/13750-6)

ALMEIDA, L. A.; PEREIRA, E. S.; BORGES, G. M.; DAMINELI, A.; MICHTCHENKO, T. A.; VISWANATHAN, G. M.. Eclipse timing variation of GK Vir: evidence of a possible Jupiter-like planet in a circumbinary orbit. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, v. 497, n. 3, p. 8-pg., 2020-09-01. (11/51680-6, 13/18245-0, 16/13750-6, 12/09716-6)

FOLONIER, HUGO; FERRAZ-MELLO, SYLVIO; ALVES-SILVA, RAPHAEL. Extension of the creep tide theory to exoplanet systems with high stellar obliquity. The dynamic tide of CoRoT-3b. CELESTIAL MECHANICS & DYNAMICAL ASTRONOMY, v. 137, n. 2, p. 25-pg., 2025-04-01. (16/20189-9, 23/03060-6, 16/13750-6)

ROSA, CAROLINE ANTUNES; BERGANTINI, ALEXANDRE; DA SILVEIRA, ENIO FROTA; EMILIO, MARCELO; ANDRADE, LAERTE; PACHECO, EDUARDO JANOT; MASON, NIGEL J.; LAGE, CLAUDIA. A laboratory infrared model of astrophysical pyrimidines. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, v. 531, n. 4, p. 11-pg., 2024-06-25. (16/13750-6)

WOLFF, FRIEDERIKE; HELBERTA, JOERN; ALEMANNO, GIULIA; MARCQ, EMMANUEL; VANDALE, ANN-CARINE; ROBERT, SEVRINE; LARA, LOUISA MARIA; NATHUES, ANDREAS; PARRO, VANDERLEI CUNHA; BERTRAN, SANDRINE; et al. The VenSpec Suite Organization: Collaborative development from instrument proposal to scientific analysis. INFRARED REMOTE SENSING AND INSTRUMENTATION XXXII, v. 13144, p. 9-pg., 2024-01-01. (16/13750-6)

BURGER, KAROLINE C.; FIALHO, FABIO DE O.; AYKROYD, CHRISTOPHER R. B.. Embedded Star Catalog Calculation Tool for Autonomous Star Trackers. Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific, v. 136, n. 10, p. 18-pg., 2024-10-01. (16/13750-6, 15/21207-8)

FERRAZ-MELLO, SYLVIO; BEAUGE, CRISTIAN; FOLONIER, HUGO A.; GOMES, GABRIEL O.. Tidal friction in satellites and planets. The new version of the creep tide theory. European Physical Journal-Special Topics, v. 229, n. 8, p. 22-pg., 2020-05-01. (17/25224-0, 16/20189-9, 16/13750-6)

FERRAZ-MELLO, SYLVIO; BEAUGE, CRISTIAN; FOLONIER, HUGO A.; GOMES, GABRIEL O.. Tidal friction in satellites and planets. The new version of the creep tide theory. European Physical Journal-Special Topics, v. 229, n. 8, SI, p. 1441-1462, MAY 2020. (16/20189-9, 16/13750-6, 17/25224-0)

DEPAULA, L. A.; MICHTCHENKO, T. A.; SOUSA-SILVA, P. A.. Adapting a solid accretion scenario for migrating planets in FARGO3D. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, v. 490, n. 2, p. 2336-2346, DEC 2019. (14/00492-3, 09/54006-4, 16/13750-6)

GOMES, G. O.; FERRAZ-MELLO, S.. Tidal evolution of exoplanetary systems hosting potentially habitable exoplanets. The cases of LHS-1140 b-c and K2-18 b-c. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, v. 494, n. 4, p. 5082-5090, JUN 2020. (17/25224-0, 16/13750-6, 19/21201-0)

EIDAM, JESSICA M.; ANDRADE, LAERTE; EMILIO, MARCELO; CRISTINA RABELLO-SOARES, M.; PEREIRA, ALAN W.; JANOT-PACHECO, EDUARDO; ARMSTRONG, JAMES D.. Photometry and spectroscopy of massive stars observed during K2 Campaign 8. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, v. 491, n. 1, p. 302-312, JAN 2020. (16/13750-6)

FERRAZ-MELLO, SYLVIO; FOLONIER, HUGO A.; GOMES, GABRIEL O.. Creep tide theory: equations for differentiated bodies with aligned layers. CELESTIAL MECHANICS & DYNAMICAL ASTRONOMY, v. 134, n. 3, p. 12-pg., 2022-06-01. (16/20189-9, 17/25224-0, 16/13750-6)

FOLONIER, HUGO A.; BOUE, GWENAEL; FERRAZ-MELLO, SYLVIO. Ellipsoidal equilibrium figure and Cassini states of rotating planets and satellites deformed by a tidal potential in the spatial case. CELESTIAL MECHANICS & DYNAMICAL ASTRONOMY, v. 134, n. 1, FEB 2022. (16/13750-6, 19/11276-3, 16/20189-9)

GOMES, G. O.; BOLMONT, E.; BLANCO-CUARESMA, S.. Influence of equilibrium tides on transit-timing variations of close-in super-Earths I. Application to single-planet systems and the case of K2-265 b. Astronomy & Astrophysics, v. 651, JUL 5 2021. (16/13750-6, 17/25224-0, 19/21201-0)

MIGLIORINI, ALESSANDRA; DE SANCTIS, M. C.; MICHTCHENKO, T. A.; LAZZARO, D.; BARBIERI, M.; MESA, D.; LAZZARIN, M.; LA FORGIA, F.. Characterization of V-type asteroids orbiting in the middle and outer main belt. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, v. 504, n. 2, p. 2019-2032, JUN 2021. (09/54006-4, 16/13750-6)

ZOPPETTI, F. A.; FOLONIER, H.; LEIVA, A. M.; BEAUGE, C.. Creep tide model for the three-body problem The rotational evolution of a circumbinary planet. Astronomy & Astrophysics, v. 651, JUL 9 2021. (16/13750-6, 16/20189-9)

FERRAZ-MELLO, SYLVIO; MENEZES BECHARA, THAYNA; ALVES-SILVA, RAPHAEL. Tidal dissipation and synchronization of the temperate exo-Earth LP 791-18d. European Physical Journal-Special Topics, v. N/A, p. 11-pg., 2025-09-09. (16/13750-6, 23/03060-6)

SILVA, BERGERSON V. H. V. DA; EIDAM, JESSICA M.; PEREIRA, ALAN W.; RABELLO-SOARES, M. CRISTINA; JANOT-PACHECO, EDUARDO; ANDRADE, LAERTE; EMILIO, MARCELO. A Catalog of 73 B-Type Stars and Their Brightness Variation from K2 Campaign 13-18. UNIVERSE, v. 11, n. 9, p. 75-pg., 2025-09-03. (16/13750-6)

ANDRADE, LAERTE; PEREIRA, ALAN W.; EMILIO, MARCELO; JANOT-PACHECO, EDUARDO. Exploring the Variability of Three Be Stars with TESS Observations. UNIVERSE, v. 11, n. 2, p. 18-pg., 2025-02-01. (16/13750-6)

ALVES SILVA, R.; BEAUGE, C.; FERRAZ-MELLO, S.; CINCOTTA, P. M.; GIORDANO, C. M.. Instability times in the HD 181433 exoplanetary system. Astronomy & Astrophysics, v. 652, AUG 19 2021. (16/13750-6)

RAUER, HEIKE; AERTS, CONNY; CABRERA, JUAN; DELEUIL, MAGALI; ERIKSON, ANDERS; GIZON, LAURENT; GOUPIL, MARIEJO; HERAS, ANA; WALLOSCHEK, THOMAS; LORENZO-ALVAREZ, JOSE; et al. The PLATO mission. EXPERIMENTAL ASTRONOMY, v. 59, n. 2, p. 111-pg., 2025-04-01. (16/13750-6)

GOMES, R. L.; MARTINS, B. L. CANTO; FONTINELE, D. O.; ALMEIDA, L. A.; FREIRE, R. ALVES; BRITO, A. C.; DE AMORIM, R. G. S. B.; LOPES, C. E. FERREIRA; HAZARIKA, D.; JANOT-PACHECO, E.; et al. Pulsation in TESS Objects of Interest. ASTROPHYSICAL JOURNAL, v. 961, n. 1, p. 12-pg., 2024-01-01. (16/13750-6)

PEREIRA, ALAN W.; JANOT-PACHECO, EDUARDO; ANDRADE, LAERTE; EMILIO, MARCELO. The persistent Be enigma: The case of HD 212044. Astronomy & Astrophysics, v. 691, p. 6-pg., 2024-10-29. (16/13750-6)

PEREIRA, ALAN W.; JANOT-PACHECO, EDUARDO; EMILIO, MARCELO; ANDRADE, LAERTE; ARMSTRONG, JAMES D.; EIDAM, JESSICA M.; RABELLO-SOARES, M. CRISTINA; DA SILVA, BERGERSON V. H. V.. Characterizing B stars from Kepler/K2 Campaign 11 Optical analysis and seismic diagnostics. Astronomy & Astrophysics, v. 686, p. 27-pg., 2024-05-27. (16/13750-6)

FRANCA, RODRIGO M.; SANTOS, LUIZ H. A.; DO AMARAL, THIAGO A. M.; GUETER, DANIEL D. V.; PARRO, VANDERLEI C.; HELBERT, JOERN; WOLFF, FRIEDERIKE; NATHUES, ANDREAS; GUTIERREZ-MARQUES, PABLO. From PLATO to EnVision: SimuCam as a Case Study of Testing Equipment Reusability in Space Missions. 2025 IEEE AEROSPACE CONFERENCE, v. N/A, p. 8-pg., 2025-01-01. (16/13750-6)

FERRAZ-MELLO, SYLVIO; BAU, G; CELLETTI, A; GALES, CB; GRONCHI, GF. Planetary Tides: Theories. SATELLITE DYNAMICS AND SPACE MISSIONS, v. 34, p. 50-pg., 2019-01-01. (08/57866-1, 14/13407-4, 16/13750-6, 17/10072-0)