This collaborative project is a theoretical effort to model cloudy atmospheres of extrasolar planets. The models will be constrained by direct images of exoplanets produced by the Gemini Planet Imager (GPI) and other surveys. The researchers will focus on non-equilibrium chemistry, cloud physics, atmospheric structure and predict emission spectra of the planets. They will also use the direct imaging data to determine atmospheric effective temperature, surface gravity and composition.

Broader impacts include contributions to university public web pages on science topics, videos called Science Bulletin Features produced by the American Museum of Natural History, and mentoring and supervising a female graduate student in her Ph.D. dissertation research.

Agency
National Science Foundation (NSF)
Institute
Division of Astronomical Sciences (AST)
Type
Standard Grant (Standard)
Application #
1312545
Program Officer
Faith Vilas
Project Start
Project End
Budget Start
2013-09-01
Budget End
2016-08-31
Support Year
Fiscal Year
2013
Total Cost
$335,130
Indirect Cost
Name
University of California Santa Cruz
Department
Type
DUNS #
City
Santa Cruz
State
CA
Country
United States
Zip Code
95064