MSc Student · Astrobiology & Planetary Science · Edinburgh University
My dissertation is on high resolution spectroscopy for Earth-like ExoPlanets.
My name is Cat Hou and I am interested in learning about potential life on exoplanets. I have done my past research in Radio Astronomy with Meredith Hughes analyzing debris disk structures and dynamics. Additionally, I did an REU at the American Museum of Natural History working on developing a tool for the gravitaitonal lensing website SLED; this tool was purposed towards allowing users to upload lens models in COOLEST format, thereby ensuring a more consistent storage system across the field and increasing goals of collaboration across labs. Looking forward, I hope to continue exploring the cosmos and finding my place within it.
I am working towards a degree in Astrobiology and completing a dissertation project with Sarah Rugheimer performing high resolution spectroscopy to ascertain whether we can detect HNC with ELT.
Research Focus
Current Project
Could we Detect HNC with High Resolution Spectroscopy with ELT
High resolution spectroscopy has proven successful in detecting major atmospheric biomarkers such as CO, H20, and CH4 in hot Jupiters and other gas giants. With ELT going online, we may obtain the necessary resolution to observe the spectral emission from Earth-like terrestrial planets. A major part of this endeaver is seeing around our own atmosphere, which proves possible with the radial velocity of the orbiting planet, allowing us to see past the telluric absorption lines. To study this possibility, my project involves simulating mock ELT ANDES high-resolution observations of Earth-like planets in forward models, incorperating realistic noise, stellar activity, and telluric correction. This project will test how well ELT is capable of detecting atmospheric constituents, including potential biosignatures and prebiosignatures.