Assistant Professor of Astronomy
About
Emily Rauscher is a theoretical astrophysicist who studies exoplanets, particularly hot Jupiters. She develops 3D atmospheric circulation models that explore features such as wind and temperature patterns, the composition of the deep atmosphere, and magnetic effects – and how these might shape the planets’ global properties. She’s recently used her models to shed light on the conditions under which magnetic fields may profoundly impact hot Jupiters’ temperature patterns, a line of inquiry that may help explain why some become “puffy planets” – larger, lower-density versions of Jupiter. Rauscher also works to identify observational methods capable of providing the data needed to test and refine these models. She’s demonstrated the potential of eclipse mapping and orbital phase curves to provide information on hot Jupiters’ temperature patterns based on specific changes in light detected when these planets orbit their star.
Notable Results
Rauscher and a colleague were the first to propose that Doppler spectral shift could be used to gain useful data about the atmospheric motion of hot Jupiters. While most of a transiting planet’s Doppler spectral shift is accounted for by its orbit, a small part reflects a combination of how its winds are blowing and how the atmosphere is rotating along with the planet. Using Rauscher’s 3D simulations and her colleagues’ detailed radiative transfer model, the pair calculated hot Jupiters’ expected Doppler shifts under various conditions. They showed that with just slightly improved observations, this measurement could help distinguish which planets’ winds were being slowed by magnetic drag. They also found that it might be useful, when paired with supplemental measurements, in constraining planets’ rotation rates.
Background
BA, University of California, Berkeley; PhD, Columbia University; Graduate Fellow, Kavli Institute for Theoretical Physics, Santa Barbara; NASA Sagan Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Arizona and Princeton University; Spitzer Postdoctoral Fellow, Princeton University.
Publications
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