Exoplanets and Stellar Activity
As astronomers started to use more and more precise instruments to detect planets outside our own Solar System, i.e. exoplanets, they realised that inhomogeneities and energetic events on the stellar surface disturb their measurements.
These phenomena, collectively known as activity, find their origin in the magnetic field generated in the interior of the star. Stellar activity represents a serious limitation to the reliabe detection and characterisation of exoplanets,
and especially those that are Earth-like because it camouflages their existence. Furthermore, magnetic activity alters the atmospheric chemistry of exoplanets, and ultimately their habitability. This is a crucial aspect to consider if the goal is to find signs of life elsewhere.
Under the general headline of stellar activity, my research interests can be summarised as follows:
- Investigate numerical techniques to mitigate the effect of activity in radial velocity searches, to improve our capability at detecing a genuine planetary signal in a robust way.
- Monitor the long-term evolution of stellar magnetic fields, i.e. cycles, to both feed back dynamo theories and inform observing strategies for exoplanet transmission spectroscopy.