Exploring exoplanet atmospheres using transit spectroscopy.

When a planet passes in front of its host star (as viewed from Earth), it blocks some of the star's light and causes a decrease in brightness. During this primary transit, some of the light from the star passes through the planetary atmosphere and specific wavelengths may be absorbed depending on the elements/molecules contained within it. The resulting absorption spectrum can be analysed to identify the atmospheric composition - an important step towards understanding the formation and composition of exoplanets, their evolution, and whether there may be suitable conditions for life on another planet.

I will be using transmission spectra to investigate the properties of exoplanet atmospheres. I will investigate hot Jupiter planets, with the aim of building on previous work whilst gaining a good understanding of the best techniques for transit spectroscopy. My work will also involve exploring the possibility and potential of using ground based photometric observations to detect exoplanets and identify targets for follow up spectroscopy.