Oriana Simone Domínguez Jamett

My PhD will investigate the lifetime of protoplanetary discs, which is essential to explain how planets form and evolve. The lifetime of these discs depends strongly on the radiation they receive from both their host star and nearby stars. This radiation heats the disc gas, driving winds that gradually disperse the material through a process known as photoevaporation. Using the coupled hydrodynamics-thermochemistry framework PLUTO+PRIZMO, this project will carry out the first non-equilibrium thermochemistry study of external FUV/EUV/X-ray photoevaporation in protoplanetary discs, building directly on recent advances in modelling internal photoevaporation. The project will provide physically robust predictions of mass-loss rates and identify observational diagnostics of externally irradiated discs, helping to improve our understanding of how stellar environments influence the formation and evolution of planetary systems.

Who or what inspired you to pursue your research interests?

During my Bachelor's degree in Science, I discovered that I enjoyed solving complex mathematical and physical problems that challenged my understanding. In my Master's research, I worked on planet formation and the environments where planets form, where I became particularly interested in the chemistry and radiation of these systems. I am excited by the opportunity to combine physics, chemistry, and computation to answer fundamental questions about how planetary systems form and evolve. Ultimately, I hope my research will help answer one of astronomy's biggest questions: How common is our Solar System?