Research summary
Understanding the atmospheres of planets outside our solar system, or exoplanets, is key to uncovering their climate, chemistry and potential habitability. Dr. Nicolas Cowan, Canada Research Chair in Planetary Climate, is exploring the diverse atmospheric and geophysical processes at play on exoplanets, from scorching lava worlds to potentially habitable rocky planets.
As Canada’s leading scientist in the European Space Agency’s Ariel Mission, set to launch in 2029, Cowan is helping to drive an international effort to study exoplanet atmospheres. He and his research team are also leveraging data from the James Webb Space Telescope and ground-based observatories to investigate heat transport on ultra-hot Jupiters and atmospheric loss on terrestrial planets. They are also studying whether the rocky worlds that orbit red dwarf stars can sustain atmospheres. By combining observations with cutting-edge theoretical models, their research will shape the future of exoplanet science and astrobiology.