Planetary population synthesis

My main reserach interest is at the moment the synthesis of extrasolar planets, and the comparison of the synthetic planets with the actual ones. This method allows one to constrain planet formation models in a statistical sense, and to understand how complex mechanisms of planet formation can be implemented in a numerical planet formation model.

Planet formation modelling

Our formation model is based on the core accretion paradigm, but includes in a self consistent way migration and disk evolution. We are currently improving the model by including e.g. stopping mechanisms near the star to be able to model also close-in planets.

Observation of extrasolar planets

As a member of the the HARPS consortium I'm also directly involved in observational work rather than only theoretical one. Other observational activities were done at the Observatoire de Haute Provenced (with the 51 Peg b discovery instrument) and weekly observations at Zimmerwald Observatory near Bern.

Modelling of the interaction of bodies with planetary atmospheres

The passage of a body (meteoroid, asteroid, comet, planetesimal) through the atmosphere of a (proto-)planet can be described by the processes of gravity, gas drag, thermal ablation, flattening and fragmentation. Modelling this is another of my research interests. 

Cluster High-Preformance Computing

I'm also interested in high performance computing on (Linux Beowulf) clusters, and built and admistarted for several years a medium sized, completely self assenbled, Infiniband interconnected cluster.