La recherche et caractérisation de planètes extrasolaires en transit (i.e., qui passent devant leur étoile, vue depuis la Terre) est un domaine important de la planétologie car ces planètes permettent de contraindre les processus de formation, d'évolution et de migration des systèmes planétaires. Les missions spatiales CoRoT et Kepler ont permis, ces dernières années, de découvrir plusieurs milliers de candidats-planètes en transit. Cependant, ces candidats-planètes doivent être confirmés afin d'exclure tout scénario de faux-positifs pouvant imiter un transit d'une exo-planète. Pour cela, l'une des méthodes possible consiste à mener des observations complémentaires de vitesse radiale permettant de mesurer la masse et les paramètres orbitaux de l'objet qui transite et ainsi de pouvoir déterminer la nature des candidats-planètes. Au cours de ma thèse, je me suis attaché à résoudre la nature des candidats-planètes en transit issues des missions spatiales CoRoT et Kepler en menant des observations avec les spectrographes SOPHIE et HARPS, ce qui m'a permis d'identifier plusieurs nouvelles planètes extrasolaires en transit. J'ai également pu mesurer le taux de faux-positif de la mission Kepler, égal à 35% pour les candidats planètes-géantes à courte période orbitale, contredisant les précédentes estimations, beaucoup plus optimistes. J'ai également participé au développement d'un nouveau logiciel, "PASTIS", qui permet de valider statistiquement des planètes extrasolaires de faible masse, trop petites pour être caractérisées grâce aux spectrographes actuels. Ce logiciel permettra, à terme, de valider des dizaines de planètes de faible masse issues des missions CoRoT et Kepler. / The search and characterization of transiting extrasolar planets (i.e. that pass in front of their host star, as seen from the Earth) is an important domain of planetology since these planets constrain the formation, evolution and migration process of planetary systems. The CoRoT (CNES) and Kepler (NASA) space missions permit, these last years, to discover several thousand of transiting-planet candidates. However, these planet candidates need to be confirmed in order to exclude all false positive scenario that can mimic a planetary transit. For that, one of the method consist on performing radial velocity follow-up observations to measure the transiting object's mass and orbital parameters and thus, to determine the nature of planet candidates.During my PhD thesis, I tried to resolve the nature of transiting planet candidates from the CoRoT and Kepler space missions. For that, I performed follow-up observations with the SOPHIE (OHP) and HARPS (ESO) spectrographs that were used to discover several new transiting extrasolar planets. I also measured the Kepler false-positive rate, equal to 35% for giant close-in exoplanet candidates, contradicting previous estimations, much more optimistic.I also participate to the development of a new software, called "PASTIS", which objective is to validate statistically low-mass transiting exoplanets out of reach for current spectrographs. This new tool will, in a near future, validate tens of low-mass planets from the CoRoT and Kepler space missions.

The spectroscopic determination of stellar properties is important for subsequent studies of exoplanet atmospheres. In this thesis, HARPS data for 6 exoplanet-hosting, late-type stars is processed to achieve an average signal-to-noise ratio of ~105. Together with line data, the SME tool is used to synthesize spectra and interpolate model photospheres with which chi-square minimization is performed. Fundamental parameters are derived to an overall precision of 191 K in effective temperature, 0.88 dex in surface gravity and 0.21 dex in metallicity. For 5 of the stars, the parameters are thereafter used to compute specific intensities across the stellar discs. Primary improvements could be made in regards to the stellar models, i.a. through the update of atomic properties and inclusion of magnetic fields. The numerical derivation can also be handled more carefully by excluding parameter-insensitive spectral regions. / Den spektroskopiska bestämningen av stjärnegenskaper är viktig för efterföljande studier av exoplaneters atmosfärer. I denna avhandling bearbetas HARPS-data från 6 stjärnor av sen typ som hyser exoplaneter för att uppnå en genomsnittlig signal-till-bruskvot på ~105. Tillsammans med linjedata, används SME-programvaran för att syntetisera spektra och interpolera modellfotosfärer med vilka chi-kvadratminimering genomförs. Fundamentala parametrar härleds till en medelprecision på 191 K i effektiv temperatur, 0.88 dex i ytgravitation och 0.21 dex i metallicitet. För 5 av stjärnorna används parametrarna till att därefter beräkna specifika intensiteter över stjärnornas projicerade ytor. Huvudsakliga förbättringar kan göras med avseende på stjärnmodellerna, bl.a. genom uppdatering av atomära egenskaper och inkludering av magnetiska fält. Den numeriska härledningen kan också hanteras med högre noggrannhet genom att avsiktligt exkludera parameterokänsliga spektralregioner.

Die Pedalharfe ist ein vergleichsweise junges Instrument. Vom Anfang des 18. bis zum Anfang des 19. Jahrhunderts fiel ihre bau- und spieltechnische Entwicklung nicht nur zeitlich, sondern oft auch räumlich mit der Geschichte des Cembalos und des Klaviers zusammen. Das neue Instrument war zunächst vor allem in Paris und dann in London erfolgreich. Dieser Beitrag will die Diskussion um einen weniger untersuchten Repertoireausschnitt der Harfen-, Klavier- und Geigenliteratur von den 1780er Jahren bis zur Zeit von Berlioz anregen, sowie bekannte Stilmittel unter einem neuen Blickwinkel zeigen. / The pedal harp is a relatively young instrument. From the beginning of the eighteenth century to the beginning of the nineteenth century, its technical and musical development coincided not only temporally but often also spatially with the history of the harpsichord and the piano. The new instrument was originally most successful in Paris and then in London. This article is intended to stimulate a discussion on the less-studied repertory for harp, piano and violin from the 1780s until the time of Berlioz, as well as to offer a new perspective on better-known stylistic elements.

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When one realizes how little the harp of the 1700's had advanced from its Biblical predecessors, its neglect by such masters as Bach, Haydn, and Beethoven does not seem remarkable. Why should a serious composer waste his time in writing for an instrument with no facilities for modulating, an instrument the weak tones of which would be lost in an orchestra?