Can we see atmospheric waves on exoplanets?

Many thanks to the KU Leuven Institute of Astronomy for hosting me to give a seminar about my research! I was lucky enough to also give this talk at the Institute for Environmental Physics at University of Heidelberg and the Institute for Planetary Research at the German Aerospace Center. Great feedback from many diverse perspectivesContinue reading “Can we see atmospheric waves on exoplanets?”

Stratospheric wind and water vapour fluctuations on tidally locked exoplanets

Wind currents in the Earth’s equatorial stratosphere change direction every 26-28 months. Abundances of ozone, methane, water vapour, and other trace atmospheric gasses oscillate on the same timescale. This phenomenon is known as the “quasi-biennial oscillation” (QBO) and also occurs on other solar system planets (Jupiter and Saturn), though with different periods. It occurs becauseContinue reading “Stratospheric wind and water vapour fluctuations on tidally locked exoplanets”

Edinburgh Women in Space 2021 conference talk: New frontiers in exoplanet science

I was invited to give a 10-minute PhD lightning talk at the Edinburgh Women in Space Conference from 26-28 March 2021. Here’s the talk, with a brief non-technical overview of recent exoplanet science and my research.

Could you please direct me to the space train station? New Space in Germany.

In honour of my much-anticipated viewing of the first two episodes of Star Trek: Picard this evening, I spent a few hours today idly Googling the German space industry. Best takeaway so far: the German word for spaceport is “Weltraumbahnhof,” which means space train station. My first instinct was that this difference reflects the historicalContinue reading “Could you please direct me to the space train station? New Space in Germany.”