Quantifying the effect of planet composition on three-dimensional shape in extreme gravitational fields

Opportunity Description:

At the intersection of geophysical sciences and astrophysics, exoplanets (planets outside our solar system) are an exciting and challenging topic of study. Many exoplanets have challenged our preconceptions about what a planet "should" look like. One example is the so-called hot Jupiter class of exoplanets: They are of similar masses as our own planet Jupiter, but they have orbital periods of just a few days, putting them much closer to their host stars than Jupiter is. Another notable oddball planet is KOI-1843.03, a small rocky planet with the shortest orbital period of any exoplanet yet observed at just 4.2 hours, meaning that one orbit around the Sun for us on Earth is about 2000 orbits for KOI-1843.03 around its star. In a previous work (https://arxiv.org/abs/1901.10666), we theorized that KOI-1843.03 could be in such an extreme gravitational field from its host star that it may be pulled into a non-spherical shape, much like the shape of an egg or a football. We developed a computer simulation to predict the shapes of planets like KOI-1843.03, called ultra-short period (USP) planets. Open questions that remain include the effects of different material compositions on the predicted planet shapes and the possibility of observing the effect of tidal distortion via transit observations.

Primary Responsibilities: 

The exact project can be tailored to the student's level of expertise and precise interests. Ideally, the student will be able to devote approximately as much time and attention to research as to a typical physics course. That time could be spent reading relevant literature, learning new programming skills, running or developing simulation code, analyzing or visualizing data, or writing and designing final products. Goals for the project's conclusion can be discussed individually but could include a poster presentation at a professional scientific conference. Since monetary funding can be a barrier to participating in research, this position will be paid. The student will not be responsible for any research-related costs, such as books, software, printing, or other charges as necessary to complete the work.

Minimum Qualifications and/or Eligibility Requirements: 

There are no minimum qualifications for this project. Any undergraduate student at UChicago in good standing may apply.

While this project open to an undergraduate student in any year or major, this research topic is likely best suited to a student majoring (or planning to major) in astrophysics, physics, or geophysical sciences. Some experience with computer programming (Python and/or C languages) is helpful but not mandatory.

Knowledge or skills gained from the experience: 

At the end of this project, the student will be able to:

• Explain the physical forces that lead to the deformation of planets from a spherical shape.
• Interact with existing simulation code developed for this study.
• Perform data visualization tasks using the Python Matplotlib library.
• Select appropriate visualizations for communicating the core ideas and results of the project.

This is not an exhaustive list, however. Depending on skill level and interest, the student could develop new simulation code, learn a new programming language or framework for scientific simulation, or carry out analytic or semi-analytic analyses. The scope of this mentoring relationship can include, in addition to accomplishing the scientific goals of the project, addressing topics like professional development, applying for graduate school, and mental health and wellbeing in the physical sciences.

Application Process: 

No formal application is required. Please send your CV to emprice@uchicago.edu with a brief explanation of your scientific interest and experience.

Application Deadline: 

Application Requirements: