Overcoming Key Challenges in Exoplanet Atmospheric Models

Overcoming Key Challenges in Exoplanet Atmospheric Models

Current and upcoming observational facilities, such as JWST and the ELT, are providing unprecedented detail in our understanding of exoplanet atmospheres. As the diversity of detected molecules continues to grow, the models used to interpret their presence are also becoming increasingly complex. However, these models face several challenges: they can be computationally expensive, and their predictions are often inconsistent across different frameworks. Addressing these issues requires an interdisciplinary approach combining astronomy, chemistry, and data science. In my work, I tackle the computational cost by reducing a state-of-the-art chemical network through a genetic algorithm, achieving speed-ups of up to a factor of 10 compared to the full model. I also address model inconsistencies by assessing the uncertainties introduced by the rate coefficients within the same chemical network.

Sebastián López
Colloquium Coordinator
DAS/UChile  – slopez@das.uchile.cl