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Dr Edward Gillen

Edward

Lecturer in Observations of Exoplanets and/or Protoplanetary Discs

Email: e.gillen@qmul.ac.uk

Profile

I am a Lecturer and Winton Fellow at Queen Mary University of London. My research focuses on understanding the evolution, diversity and habitability of planetary systems, which I pursue using a variety of ground- and space-based observatories.

I completed my PhD at the University of Oxford in 2015, where I worked on young eclipsing binary stars and their environments in open clusters. Following my PhD, I moved into exoplanet research and took up a postdoctoral position in exoplanets at the University of Cambridge. In 2018, I was awarded a Winton Exoplanet Fellowship, which I also held at Cambridge. I moved to QMUL in May 2020 to join the Astronomy Unit as a lecturer.

Research

Research Interests:

My primary research interests focus on understanding the evolution, diversity and habitability of planetary systems. Within these overarching themes, some areas of particular interest include:

  • Characterising transiting exoplanet systems at different ages throughout their lifetime. Young planets (i.e. those less than around a billion years old) are especially interesting, as they offer direct observational link between our theories of planet formation and the currently known, old, exoplanet population.
  • Observationally calibrating stellar (and hence planetary) evolution theory using various complementary approaches:
    • Characterising eclipsing binary stars, for which the stellar masses, radii and temperatures can be directly measured.
    • Characterising stellar rotation and flare activity, which offer insight into the age-activity-rotation relation.
    • Studying the star-disk interaction, which provides a window onto the final stages of star formation and the inner regions of protoplanetary disks.
  • Assessing the potential habitability of exoplanet systems by characterising the high energy activity of low-mass stars.

Funding

I am currently supported by a Winton Exoplanet Fellowship.

Publications

My full publication list is available through the ADS, which can be viewed here.

  1. E. Gillen, L. A. Hillenbrand, J. Stauffer et al. (2020, MNRAS, 495, 1531). Mon-735: A new low-mass pre-main sequence eclipsing binary in NGC2264 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/staa1016
  2. J. McCormac, E. Gillen, J. Jackman et al. (2020, MNRAS, 493, 126). NGTS-10b: The shortest period hot Jupiter yet discovered DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/staa115
  3. E. Gillen, J. T. Briegal, S. T. Hodgkin et al. (2020, MNRAS, 492, 1008). NGTS clusters survey. I. Rotation in the young benchmark open cluster Blanco 1 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/stz3251
  4. M. Lendl, F. Bouchy, S. Gill et al. (2020, MNRAS, 492, 1761). TOI-222: a single-transit TESS candidate revealed to be a 34-day eclipsing binary with CORALIE, EulerCam and NGTS DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/stz3545
  5. M. Gunther, Z. Zhan, S. Seager et al. (2020, AJ, 159, 60). Stellar Flares from the First Tess Data Release: Exploring a New Sample of M-dwarfs DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.3847/1538-3881/ab5d3a
  6. E. Gillen, P. B. Rimmer & D. C. Catling (2020, Icarus, 336, 13407). Statistical analysis of Curiosity data shows no evidence for a strong seasonal cycle of Martian methane DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.icarus.2019.113407
  7. J. Costes, C. A. Watson, C. Belardi et al. (2020, MNRAS, 491, 2834). NGTS-8b and NGTS-9b: two non-in ated hot-Jupiters DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/stz3140
  8. J. Jackman, P. J. Wheatley, D. Bayliss et al. (2019, MNRAS, 489, 5146). NGTS-7Ab: An ultra-short period brown dwarf transiting a tidally-locked and active M dwarf DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/stz2496
  9. J. I. Vines; J. S. Jenkins; J. Acton et al. (2019, MNRAS, 489, 4125). NGTS-6b: An Ultra Hot-Jupiter Orbiting a Metal-rich star DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/stz2349
  10. R. G. West, E. Gillen, D. Bayliss et al. (2019, MNRAS, 486, 5094). NGTS-4b: A sub-Neptune transiting in the desert DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/stz1084
  11. P. Eigmuller, A. Chausev, E. Gillen et al. (2019, A&A, 625, 142). NGTS-5b: a highly in ated planet offering insights into the sub-Jovian desert DOI: https://doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361/201935206
  12. J. Jackman, P. J. Wheatley, C. Pugh et al. (2019, MNRAS, 482, 5553). Detection of a giant are displaying quasi-periodic pulsations from a pre-main-sequence M star by the Next Generation Transit Survey DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/sty3036
  13. T. J. David, L. A. Hillenbrand, E. Gillen et al. (2019, ApJ, 872, 161). Age Determination in Upper Scorpius with Eclipsing Binaries DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/aafe09
  14. L. Raynard, M. Goad, E. Gillen et al. (2018, MNRAS, 481, 4960). NGTS-2b: an in ated hot-Jupiter transiting a bright F-dwarf DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/sty2581
  15. S. L. Casewell, L. Raynard. C. A. Watson, E. Gillen et al. (2018, MNRAS, 481, 1897). A low-mass eclipsing binary within the fully convective zone from the Next Generation Transit Survey DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/sty2183
  16. P. Rimmer, J. Xu, S. J. Thompson, E. Gillen et al. (2018, Sci Adv, 4, 3302) The Origin of RNA Precursors on Exoplanets DOI: https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.aar3302
  17. M. Gunther, D. Queloz, E. Gillen et al. (2018, MNRAS, 478, 4720). Unmasking the hidden NGTS-3Ab: a hot Jupiter in an unresolved binary system DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/sty1193
  18. D. J. Armstrong, M. Gunther, J. McCormac et al. (2018, MNRAS, 478, 4225). Automatic vetting of planet candidates from ground-based surveys: machine learning with NGTS DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/sty1313
  19. J. Jackman, P. J. Wheatley, C. Pugh, B. Gansicke, E. Gillen et al. (2018, MNRAS, 477, 4655). Ground-based detection of G star super ares with NGTS DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/sty897
  20. P. J. Wheatley, R. G. West, M. R. Goad et al. (2018, MNRAS, 475, 4476). The Next Generation Transit Survey (NGTS) DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/stx2836
  21. D. Bayliss, E. Gillen, P. Eigmuller et al. (2018, MNRAS, 475, 4467). NGTS-1b: A hot jupiter transiting an M-dwarf DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/stx2778 
  22. E. Gillen, L. A. Hillenbrand, T. J. David et al. (2017, ApJ, 849, 11). New low-mass eclipsing binary systems in Praesepe discovered by K2 DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/aa84b3
  23. M. Gunther, D. Queloz, E. Gillen et al. (2017, MNRAS, 472, 295). Centroid vetting of transiting planet candidates from the Next Generation Transit Survey DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/stx1920
  24. J. Pepper, E. Gillen, H. Parviainen et al. (2017, AJ, 153, 177). A Low-Mass Exoplanet Candidate Detected By K2 Transiting the Praesepe M Dwarf JS 183 DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.3847/1538-3881/aa62ab
  25. E. Gillen, S. Aigrain, C. Terquem et al. (2017, A&A, 599, 27). CoRoT 223992193: Investigating the variability in a low-mass, pre-main sequence eclipsing binary with evidence of a circumbinary disk DOI: https://doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361/201628483
  26. L. M. Rebull, J. R. Stauffer, J. Bouvier et al. (2016, AJ, 152, 113). Rotation in the Pleiades with K2. II. Multiperiod Stars DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.3847/0004-6256/152/5/114
  27. L. M. Rebull, J. R. Stauffer, J. Bouvier et al. (2016, AJ, 152, 113). Rotation in the Pleiades with K2. I. Data and First Results DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.3847/0004-6256/152/5/113
  28. B. O. Demory, D. Queloz, Y. Alibert, E. Gillen & M. Gillon. (2016, ApJ, 825, 25). Probing TRAPPIST-1-like Systems with K2 DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.3847/2041-8205/825/2/L25
  29. J. Stauffer, A. Cody, L. Rebull et al. (2016, AJ, 151, 60). CSI 2264: Characterizing Young Stars in NGC 2264 with Stochastically Varying Light Curves DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.3847/0004-6256/151/3/60
  30. T. J. David, J. Stauffer, L. A. Hillenbrand et al. (2015, ApJ, 814, 62). HII 2407: An Eclipsing Binary Revealed By K2 Observations of the Pleiades DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.1088/0004-637X/814/1/62
  31. M. E. Lohr, A. J. Norton, E. Gillen et al. (2015, A&A, 578, 103). The doubly-eclipsing quintuple low-mass star system 1SWASP J093010.78+533859.5 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361/201525973
  32. J. Stauffer, A. Cody, P. McGinnis et al. (2015, AJ, 149, 130). CSI 2264: Characterising young stars in NGC2264 with short-duration, periodic dips in their light curves DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.1088/0004-6256/149/4/130
  33. E. Gillen, S. Aigrain, A. McQuillan et al. (2014, A&A, 562, A50). CoRoT 223992193: A new, low-mass, pre-main sequence eclipsing binary with evi- dence of a circumbinary disk DOI: https://doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361/201322493
  34. A. Cody, J. Stauffer, A. Baglin et al. (2014, AJ, 147, 82). CSI 2264: Simultaneous Optical and Infrared Light Curves of Young Disk-bearing Stars in NGC 2264 with CoRoT and Spitzer - Evidence for Multiple Origins of Vari- ability DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.1088/0004-6256/147/4/82