Research overview

I am currently working on the implementation of a Bayesian approach to compute radial velocities of cool stars based on the ideas presented in Zucker et al. 2003Link opens in a new window. I am also studying the alignment between the planetary orbit and the stellar spin of a set of planets in the Neptunian desert. To do that, I make use of the Rossiter-McLaughlin distortion observed in spectroscopic observations during a planetary transit, which is sensitive to the spin-orbit angle of the system. Additionally, I am also trying to study the variability of the star behind the transit chord through the "reloaded" Rossiter-McLaughlin approach, which isolates the stellar light behind the planet as it transits.

Also at Warwick, in collaboration with Dr Matteo Brogi, I worked on the characterisation of the atmosphere of the bloated super-Neptune WASP-166 b. I focused on the application of the cross-correlation method to simultaneously study the presence of water and clouds on the planetary atmosphere using high-resolution, optical observations of the instrument ESPRESSO. I also worked on improving a principal component analysis technique to mitigate the effect of telluric lines in the observed spectra.

Previously, I completed my PhD under the supervision of Dr Ignasi Ribas at the Institut de Ciències de l'Espai (IEEC, CSIC)Link opens in a new window and the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, working on the exploitation of high resolution spectra of M dwarf stars obtained with the CARMENESLink opens in a new window instrument. I led the development and application the cross-correlation technique for CARMENES GTO observations. This work resulted in an open source pipeline (raccoon)Link opens in a new window to build weighted binary masks, compute cross-correlation functions, and derive radial velocities and stellar variability indicators. I also studied the effects of stellar variability in M dwarf high-resolution spectra using CARMENES data. In particular, I analysed the temporal behaviour of several spectroscopic proxies of stellar activity in a range of M dwarfs of different mass and activity level. I also performed line-by-line studies in a set of active M dwarf stars.

Selected publications

First author refereed publications