RESEARCH
I have very broad research interests, and have published first authored papers in cosmology and planet formation. I now dedicate all of my research time into simulating the discs of gas and dust around young stars, known as protoplanetary discs. My objective with this is to understand the interesting morphological features that are observed in these discs. By recreating these features with simulations, we can begin to infer what is happening in these systems, and predict the existence of planets or companion stars before they are directly observed.
I am also immensely fascinated by the prospect of life on other worlds, and one day I hope to shift my research focus onto answering this question.
For a list of my publications, click here. Below is a summary of some of my most valuable works, digestible for non-astrophysicists.
A Hidden Star in AB Aurigae?
On a clear winters night, observers in the Southern Hemisphere are treated with a mesmorising band of light that stretches across the sky, our home galaxy the Milky Way (see my Astrophography page for a view!). Not far from the centre of our galaxy lies one of the closest star forming regions to our Solar System, known as the Rho Ophiuchus Cloud Complex (pictured right). Roughly 200 young stars have been identified in this system, one of them being Ophiuchus IRS 48. This star has a disc of gas and dust orbiting around it, like many young stars in Ophiuchus. However the disc around Oph IRS 48 is very peculiar compared to the discs around its siblings.
The Rho Ophiuchus Cloud Complex (top right, with the red and blue glow) with the galactic centre to its left. Credit: ESO/S. Guisard.
Gas and Dust in Oph IRS 48
On a clear winters night, observers in the Southern Hemisphere are treated with a mesmorising band of light that stretches across the sky, our home galaxy the Milky Way (see my Astrophography page for a view!). Not far from the centre of our galaxy lies one of the closest star forming regions to our Solar System, known as the Rho Ophiuchus Cloud Complex (pictured right). Roughly 200 young stars have been identified in this system, one of them being Ophiuchus IRS 48. This star has a disc of gas and dust orbiting around it, like many young stars in Ophiuchus. However the disc around Oph IRS 48 is very peculiar compared to the discs around its siblings.
The Rho Ophiuchus Cloud Complex (top right, with the red and blue glow) with the galactic centre to its left. Credit: ESO/S. Guisard.