PhD opportunities

The School of Convergence Science at Imperial College London is inviting applications for fully funded PhD studentships on research projects that sup...

The Inlaks-King's India Institute Studentship

This opportunity, like The Inlaks Research & Travel Grant, enables scholars currently enrolled in PhD programmes at Indian universities to undertake a short-term visit to the King’s India Institute, King’s College London, to collect material, use facilities and consult experts towards their research for their PhDs.

The atmospheric composition of the ultra-hot Jupiter WASP-178 b observed with ESPRESSO

We search for atmospheric constituents for the UHJ WASP-178 b with two ESPRESSO transits using the narrow-band and cross-correlation techniques, focusing on the detections of NaI, H$α$, H$β$, H$γ$, MgI, FeI and FeII. Additionally, we show parallel photometry used to obtain updated and precise stellar, planetary and orbital parameters. We report the resolved line detections of NaI (5.5 and 5.4 $σ$), H$α$ (13 $σ$), H$β$ (7.1 $σ$), and tentatively MgI (4.6 $σ$). In cross-correlation, we confirm the MgI detection (7.8 and 5.8 $σ$) and additionally report the detections of FeI (12 and 10 $σ$) and FeII (11 and 8.4 $σ$), on both nights separately. The detection of MgI remains tentative, however, due to the differing results between both nights, as well as compared with the narrow-band derived properties. None of our resolved spectral lines probing the mid- to upper atmosphere show significant shifts relative to the planetary rest frame, however H$α$ and H$β$ exhibit line broadenings of 39.6 $\pm$ 2.1 km/s and 27.6 $\pm$ 4.6 km/s, respectively, indicating the onset of possible escape. WASP-178 b differs from similar UHJ with its lack of strong atmospheric dynamics in the upper atmosphere, however the broadening seen for FeI (15.66 $\pm$ 0.58 km/s) and FeII (11.32 $\pm$ 0.52 km/s) could indicate the presence of winds in the mid-atmosphere. Future studies on the impact of the flux variability caused by the host star activity might shed more light on the subject. Previous work indicated the presence of SiO cloud-precursors in the atmosphere of WASP-178 b and a lack of MgI and FeII. However, our results suggest that a scenario where the planetary atmosphere is dominated by MgI and FeII is more likely. In light of our results, we encourage future observations to further elucidate these atmospheric properties.

Working in the National Library of Ireland

Working at the National Library of Ireland

The Box/University of Plymouth Collaborative Doctoral Award: ‘Materialities of colonisation and Empire in the Cottonian Collection and its associated contemporary curatorial practices'

Fully-Funded Collaborative Doctoral Award: The Box/University of Plymouth Collaborative Doctoral Award: ‘Materialities of colonisation and Empire in the...

Collaborative Doctoral Awards – student recruitment - LAHP

Information Session The information session for candidates will be held virtually, on Zoom, on 9 December 2024. Candidates can expect a briefing about the application process, tips for how to strengthen their application and an opportunity to ask questions from staff and recruiting project teams. Information Session: 1pm – 2pm on Monday 9th December 2024 […]

Eco-evo dynamics of ranavirus infection in UK amphibian communities - NERC Panorama DTP

In the late 1980s members of the public in the UK began reporting unusual mass mortalities of common frogs (Rana temporaria). These were caused by a virus from the FV3 group of ranaviruses, and FV3 ranaviruses are now recognised as a significant threat to amphibians in the UK, especially to common frogs which have suffered ... Read more

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