Observing Water Worlds From Space: New Techniques to Beat the Noise. The quest to characterise atmospheres of rocky, Earth-like planets outside the solar system has made great strides, but instrument

Description

Observing Water Worlds From Space: New Techniques to Beat the Noise. The quest to characterise atmospheres of rocky, Earth-like planets outside the solar system has made great strides, but instrument systematics and stellar variability impede further progress. This Fellowship will develop advanced analysis techniques to break through these noise floors, with immediate application to space telescope observations of water worlds, a newly discovered missing link between rocky planets and ice giants. Results enabled by these analyses will resolve a central debate about how planets form. Next-generation simulations of water world atmospheres will also be developed, exploiting exascale computing. The Fellowship will enhance Australian leadership in the exoplanet field, including the search for life beyond Earth.. Scheme: ARC Future Fellowships. Field: 5101 - Astronomical Sciences. Lead: Dr Thomas Evans-Soma