Prof. Nikku Madhusudhan – Astrophysicist & Exoplanetary Scientist

About

Professor Nikku Madhusudhan is an Indian-British astrophysicist specializing in the study of exoplanets. He is currently a professor at the Institute of Astronomy, University of Cambridge, where his research focuses on the atmospheric and interior compositions of exoplanets. He is widely recognized for refining the technique of atmospheric retrieval and introducing the concept of “hycean planets”—a class of exoplanets theorized to host oceans beneath hydrogen-rich atmospheres.

Education and Academic Journey

Prof. Madhusudhan earned his B.Tech. from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT-BHU), Varanasi, before pursuing his M.S. and Ph.D. in astrophysics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), under the guidance of renowned planetary scientist Dr. Sara Seager. His doctoral thesis focused on methods to retrieve atmospheric properties from exoplanet spectra.

Major Contributions

• Improved techniques for atmospheric retrieval used in the characterization of exoplanet atmospheres.
• In 2012, he proposed that the super-Earth 55 Cancri e may have a carbon-rich interior.
• In 2014, he led a team that measured water abundances in the atmospheres of three hot Jupiters, finding unexpectedly low levels compared to existing models.
• His research team also contributed to the detection of titanium oxide in the atmosphere of the exoplanet WASP-19b.
• In 2020, he led an in-depth study of the mini-Neptune K2-18b, suggesting the potential for liquid water under high-pressure conditions.

Awards and Honors

• 2014: ASI Vainu Bappu Gold Medal
• 2016: IUPAP Young Scientist Medal in Astrophysics
• 2019: EAS MERAC Prize in Theoretical Astrophysics

Scientific References and Sources

• Prof. Nikku Madhusudhan – Cambridge University Profile
• Wikipedia: Nikku Madhusudhan
• Nature: Carbon-rich Interiors of Super-Earths
• Nature: Water in Hot Jupiter Atmospheres
• Science Magazine: Titanium Oxide in WASP-19b
• Nature Astronomy: Hycean Planets and K2-18b

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