Modelling the Atmospheres of Tidally-locked Terrestrial Exoplanets

Talk by Dr. Andrew Rushby, Birkbeck College, University of London

Abstract
The climates of terrestrial planets are affected by their host star, the properties of their atmospheres, as well as any land, ocean, and icy surfaces, in predictable but also complex ways. I will provide a short introduction to the novel climatologies of tidally-locked (synchronously-rotating) planets in the orbit of small, cool M-Dwarf stars, highlighting recent ensemble and climate model intercomparison studies have been used to uncover some of the effects of the complex, ‘non-Earth-like’ rotational regimes of these worlds, which are likely common in our galaxy, on their possible climates and habitability by presenting some results from my recent work, as well as that of my students, collaborators, andcolleagues working in this area.

If time allows, I will also discuss the NASA ‘Research Coordination Network’ (RCN) model (of which NExSS was the first) and the means by which the astrobiology research and funding landscape within NASA, and beyond, is evolving to meet the needs of interdisciplinary scientists working in the field to leverage upcoming NASA, ESA, JAXA etc. missions, analogue studies, and observational platforms.

Bio – Dr Andrew Rushby is a Lecturer in Astrobiology and Programme Director of the MSc. Astrobiology programme in the School of Natural Sciences at Birkbeck, University of London.