Dr. Ayaka Okuya

Biography

Ayaka Okuya is a JSPS (Japan Society for the Promotion of Science) Postdoctoral Fellow in the Astronomy and Astrophysics group at the University of Warwick. Her research interests focus on solid exoplanets and Earth, primarily from a planetary science perspective. Ayaka aims to uncover the properties and origins of solid planets, including Earth, in light of recent observations that reveal planets composed mostly of solid materials. Her work involves developing new theoretical frameworks and observational methodologies to constrain planetary interior compositions at elemental and mineralogical levels and to reconstruct their formation histories. A significant aspect of her research revolves around understanding environments involving debris disks in evolved planetary systems, such as those around white dwarfs, where metals are found in their atmospheres, indicating the presence of planetary-sized solid bodies. By modeling the evolution of dust and gas accretion disks, Ayaka works to accurately infer the composition and orbital properties of progenitor bodies. Additionally, she extends her research into observational studies of dust disks and their observable characteristics. Her experience also includes studying the spectroscopic observability of rocky exoplanets that are catastrophically evaporating and modeling climatic conditions on planets in binary star systems.

Research Interests