2022 Project Description

Investigating the Impact of Simplifying Assumptions in Exomoon System Modeling
This project can be carried out remotely.

Supervisors

Alex Teachey
Find out more about supervisors on ASIAA website

Task Description and Goals

Detecting and characterizing exomoons is one of the next frontiers in exoplanetary science. We have good reason to expect exomoons are common in the Milky Way galaxy, but finding them remains challenging, and there are still many open questions. One critical problem is that, as we analyze telescope data in search of these moons, we typically rely on a number of model simplifications which, however well motivated, may be skewing or even invalidating our interpretation of these systems. In this project the student will help investigate the impact of these model choices, working with simulated light curves of exomoon systems to help us understand to what extent we can or should use these simplifications, and where we must consider employing more realistic models in the future.

Required Background

The ideal student will be comfortable and proficient in computer programming (Python preferred). Some knowledge of college-level physics, astronomy, and mathematics would be useful.