Presentation
Research Experience
Since 2015: Head of Research Division at Instituto de Astrofisica de Canarias.
Since 2014: Research Staff at Instituto de Astrofisica de Canarias.
2007- 2013: “Ramon y Cajal” Fellow at Instituto de Astrofisica de Canarias.
2004-2007: Assistant Research Professor of Physics at New Jersey Institute of Technology, and Big Bear Solar Observatory.
2001-2004: Post-doctoral Research Associate to the Earthshine Project at Big Bear Solar Observatory (New Jersey Institute of Technology).
1998:2001: PhD student at Armagh Observatory and Queen's Universtity in Belfast.
Research Interests
Extrasolar Planets and Astrobiology:
- Earth as a planet: I study the characteristic features of the globally-integrated light reflected/emitted from the Earth as seen from space, with especial emphasis in bio-signatures.
- Exoplanet Atmospheres: Transmission spectroscopy of exoplanet atmospheres to retrieve atmospheric composition, specially with the 10-m GTC telescope
- Planet Searches: Detection and confirmation of exoplanets using Kepler (K2), Superwasp, and other ground-based searches.
Earthshine and the Earth’s Albedo:
- The Earthshine Project: Photometric and spectroscopic observations of the dark and bright side of the Moon. The goal is the determination and monitoring of the earth’s global albedo.
Climate Studies
- Clouds and the Earth's Radiation budget: Clouds are the most uncertainly parameterized climate variable and have a large impact on the earth’s radiation budget. I am interested in the radiative effect of the long-term changes in albedo and the different cloud types.
- Solar-Terrestrial Physics: The role of the Sun in climate and climate change, and the possible indirect mechanisms of solar influences on the climate system. In particular, I have studied the possible influence of galactic cosmic rays on cloud formation processes.
- Climate time series analysis: Analysis and inter-relationships between global (or local) climate variables, geomagnetic variables, palaeo-climatic records and solar activity indicators