Nikku Madhusudhan
Vorlage:Short description Vorlage:Infobox scientist
Nikku Madhusudhan is a Reader in Astrophysics and Exoplanetary Science at the Institute of Astronomy, University of Cambridge. He is credited with developing the technique of atmospheric retrieval to infer the compositions of exoplanets.
Education
Madhusudhan obtained a B. Tech at Indian Institute of Technology (BHU) Varanasi before pursuing an MS and PhD at MIT. His doctoral advisor was Sara Seager[1].
Research
During his PhD, Madhusudhan developed a method for inferring the composition and temperature structure of exoplanet atmospheres known as atmospheric retrieval, which is widely used today[2]. In 2012, Madhusudhan showed that the mass and radius of the super-Earth 55 Cancri e was consistent with a carbon-rich interior[3]. In 2014, he led a team which obtained high-precision measurements of the atmospheric water abundances of three hot Jupiters, finding less water than would be expected given planet formation models at the time[4]. Madhusudhan was part of a team that detected titanium oxide in the atmosphere of the planet WASP-19b[5]. In 2020, Madhusudhan led a team who studied the interior and atmosphere of the mini-Neptune exoplanet K2-18b[6]. They found that in certain cases, liquid water may exist on the planet's surface, albeit at temperatures and pressures higher than STP[7]
References
- ↑ Exoplanet Atmospheres - Sara Seager. saraseager.com
- ↑ Referenzfehler: Ungültiges
<ref>-Tag; kein Text angegeben für Einzelnachweis mit dem Namen madhusudhan2009. - ↑ Diamond Planet Found - Part of a "Whole New Class?" nationalgeographic.com
- ↑ Hubble Finds Three Surprisingly Dry Exoplanets. hubblesite.org
- ↑ Referenzfehler: Ungültiges
<ref>-Tag; kein Text angegeben für Einzelnachweis mit dem Namen Sedaghati2017. - ↑ Referenzfehler: Ungültiges
<ref>-Tag; kein Text angegeben für Einzelnachweis mit dem Namen madhusudhan2020. - ↑ Potentially habitable exoplanet could broaden the search for life beyond Earth. cnn.com