Email: kbott@ucr.edu
VPL Focus: Task E
Bio:
My research combines observation, instrumentation, and theoretical approaches to characterizing exoplanets and finding realistic means to determine their habitability. My recent work has specialized in polarimetry of potentially habitable terrestrial exoplanets. I have helped develop radiative transfer code for both transits and polarimetry; am experienced in instrument design, fabrication, and testing (polarimeters and other instruments); and have observed a variety of objects (galaxies, red dwarf stars, planet hosting systems, etc.) using a variety of instruments (e.g. aperture polarimeters, IFUs, vis & IR photometers, etc.). My work has disputed the first detection of polarized light from an exoplanet, eliminated certain cloud scenarios for a hot Jupiter, provided guidelines for reliable polarized light detection from exoplanets, improved the modelling software available for radiative transfer (including polarization), and provided estimates of polarimetric signals from realistic terrestrial and super Earth scenarios utilizing climate models, with comparisons of polarimetry to other characterization methods. I am deeply aware of the needs of software development and laboratory inputs to enable the use of models in the detection and characterization of exoplanets and the icy moons of our Solar System, as well as of the observational needs for such endeavors.