My research focused on combining numerical simulations of materials at high-pressure and temperature with global-scale physical models for planet structure and evolution. This required developing computational skills including: algorithm design and optimization, programming for parallel computing, data visualization and statistical analysis. Perhaps more importantly, research has given me extensive experience in approaching complex problems in an effective, quantitative manner. It also led me to focus on communicating results both in writing and verbally, and in both technical and non-technical contexts, and in collaborating as a part of a large team with the Juno spacecraft science team.
Condensed Matter Physics
Solubility of planetary materials at high tempearature
Planetary Science
Interior structure of giant plants
This research attempts to answer the question: what are giant Planets (i.e. Jupiter) made of, and what can they tell us about the formation the solar system? Since it is impossible to directly sample the inside of Jupiter, we must infer what the interior is like from a limited set of measurements made by orbiting spacecraft. I focus on interpreting measurements of Jupiter’s gravity made by the Juno spacecraft currently in orbit around the planet. My approach is to, first, simulate mixtures of hydrogen-helium mixtures at extreme pressures and temperatures (exceeding 10 Mbar and 10000°C) in order to determine physical properties of the planet’s primary components. Using these calculated material properties, I then construct models of Jupiter’s interior to precisely match its observed shape and gravity. Based on this work, we infer that the heavy material inside Jupiter is dissolved and distributed though much of the planet, rather than in a compact central core as previously believed.
Modelling tidal response of Jupiter and Saturn
Tidal response and shape of giant exoplanets
Evolution of Mercury’s core
