The name: Sarah Peacock
Title: Assistant Research Scientist
Formal job classification: Astronomer
organization: Exoplanets and Stellar Astrophysics Laboratory, Astrophysics Division, Science Directorate (Code 667)
What do you do and what is most exciting about your role at Goddard?
My major research goal is to find habitable planets in other solar systems. To do this, I study the high-energy radiation that specific stars produce to determine whether life exists on any Earth-like planets that orbit them.
What is your educational background?
In 2013, I received a Bachelor of Arts in Astrophysics from the University of Virginia. I received both my Masters and Doctorate degrees from the University of Arizona’s Lunar and Planetary Laboratory in 2016 and 2019, respectively.
What drew you to studying the stars?
In high school, I took an astronomy class. Our school had a planetarium and I had a wonderful teacher who inspired me to love the stars. It also showed us how many Harry Potter characters are drawn from the constellations and it spoke to my heart because I am a Harry Potter fan!
How did you get into Goddard?
I started at Goddard as a NASA postdoctoral fellow in July 2020, but I first visited the center the day before Goddard closed due to COVID.
How does high-energy radiation show you which planets outside our solar system might be habitable?
High-energy radiation can strip a planet of its atmosphere. If a planet is exposed to high-energy radiation, the atmosphere can be blown away, and if there is no atmosphere, there is nothing for life as we know it to breathe.
We can’t directly measure the specific radiation I study, so we have to model it. There are many stars in the universe, and almost all stars host a planet. There are approximately 5,500 confirmed exoplanets so far, with an additional 7,500 unconfirmed exoplanets.
I help identify systems that either have too much radiation, so planets in the habitable zone (the region around a star where liquid water can exist on the planet’s surface) are probably lifeless. , or systems with much safer radiation levels. Ultimately, my research helps narrow down possible systems to host planets that must have stable atmospheres.
Where does your data come from?
I mainly use data from the Hubble Space Telescope and the now retired GALEX spacecraft. My work itself is more theory-focused though: I create a modeled stellar spectrum at all wavelengths and use observations to validate my modeling.
What other areas of research are you involved in?
I am working with a team analyzing data from the James Webb Space Telescope to determine whether M-type Is there an atmosphere of Earth-like planets around the star (a star that is cooler and smaller than the Sun) and, if so, what is the composition of these atmospheres? . An interesting result of this work is that we have detected water in the atmosphere of a rocky planet for the first time. However, we cannot yet distinguish from our current observations whether this water comes from the planet or from spots on the star (the stars on the host star). spots are cold enough for water to exist in gas form).
I am also helping manage NASA’s Innovative Advance Concept (NIAC) study led by my mentor, Ken Carpenterto work on Artemis Enabled Stellar Imager (AeSI). If selected for further development, this imager would be an ultraviolet/optical interferometer located at the lunar south pole. With this telescope, we will be able to image the surfaces of stars, image accretion disks, and the centers of active galactic nuclei.
As a relatively new employee of Goddard, what have been your first impressions?
Everyone I’ve met, especially the people in my lab, has been incredibly friendly and welcoming. Starting during the pandemic, I was worried about feeling isolated, but instead, I was overwhelmed by how many people in my lab were introducing themselves and suggesting collaboration opportunities. Reached out to make calls. He made me feel welcome.
Who is your mentor and what advice did your mentor give you?
Ken Carpenter is my mentor. He encourages me to follow my desires. He supports me to make my own way and to be exposed to many different fields of research. I thank Ken for his support and encouragement and for including me in his projects.
What do you do for fun?
I’m a new mom, so my usual activities are on hold! Right now, the fun is taking care of my baby and introducing him to life experiences.
As a recently elected member of the Executive Committee of NASA’s Exoplanet Exploration Program Analysis Group (ExoPAG), what are your responsibilities?
The NASA ExoPAG is responsible for soliciting and coordinating scientific community input into the development and execution of NASA’s exoplanet exploration program. We seek feedback and advice from any scientist who studies exoplanets. We are a bridge between NASA exoplanet scientists and NASA headquarters in Washington.
What is an interesting fact about yourself?
I got married the same day I defended my PhD. I defended myself in the morning and got married in the court in the afternoon.
Who is your favorite author?
I like to read; I always have three books with me. My favorite author is Louise Penny, who writes mysteries, but I read all genres. Right now, I’m reading a biography about Marjorie Merriweather Post.
What is your favorite quote?
“The most that can be expected from any model is that it can provide a useful approximation to reality: all models are wrong. Some models are useful.” Box and Draper 1987
by the Elizabeth M. Jarrell
NASA’s Goddard Space Flight CenterGreenbelt, Md.
Conversations with Goddard Q&A is a collection of profiles that highlight the breadth and depth of the talented and diverse workforce at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center. Dialogues have been published on average twice a month since May 2011. Read previous editions on it Goddard’s “Our People” web page.