Zarah Brown, PhD
Planetary Scientist
The study of space is one of humanity’s most profound adventures; an effort to understand distant worlds and our own place among them. My research centers on the atmospheres of giant planets, both within our solar system and beyond. Atmospheres are extraordinary. They are the interface between a planet and its environment, and our primary window into the properties of worlds we may never be able to visit. By studying how planetary atmospheres scatter, absorb, and emit light, we begin to understand their composition, temperature, and potential habitability.
While research is rich and rewarding, I believe science must also be shared (clearly, creatively, and accessibly!). I am deeply committed to education and public outreach, and have led initiatives that invite people to experience the wonder of planetary science firsthand. The Arizona Scale Model Solar System brings the immensity of our solar system down to human scale, and The Art of Planetary Science celebrates the beauty and creativity inherent in scientific discovery.
Through research and projects like these, my goal is to make the complexity of planetary science approachable, and to honor the shared curiosity that drives us to look up and wonder.
Research Interests
I study the atmospheres of giant planets, including Saturn, one of our local laboratories for testing the same physical and chemical processes that shape planets far beyond our reach. To date, humanity has discovered more than 6,000 exoplanets, about a third of which are giant planets. I want to understand the atmospheres of these planets and how we can investigate them by observing the spectra of light that emerge from the top of the atmosphere.
Using 1D climate and radiative-transfer models, I predict the optical brightness and spectral characteristics of giant planets to support the upcoming Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope. This mission will include cutting edge coronagraph technology capable of imaging cool, mature Jupiter-like exoplanets in reflected light for the first time. By interpreting these observations, we will gain new insight into the composition, cloud structure, and energy balance of giant planet atmospheres. The Roman Coronagraph Instrument is a stepping stone to one day imaging Earth-like planets with a mission like the proposed Habitable Worlds Observatory.
The Art of Sci Comm
Science advances through discovery, but it endures through communication. Sharing the excitement of exploration requires many forms of expression - visual, tactile, and written. Click below to find out more about my various extracurricular projects: The Arizona Scale Model Solar System, The Art of Planetary Science, my artist website and my blog.Together, they highlight that understanding space is not only about data and models, but also about storytelling, perspective, and connection.
The Arizona Scale Model Solar System broke ground in 2023. Find out more about this project which I conceived of and executed as a graduate student.
Outside of planetary science, I am a trained artist. I paint mainly in oil and enjoy finding ways to make space feel like you can reach out and touch it.
The Art of Planetary Science is a wonderful annual show that I co-led from 2019 to 2022. It continues to thrive and accept submissions from around the world.
As an homage to the 2010s and to give insights to early career researchers, I created a blog covering the overlap of research and life.
Publications
Z. Brown, T. Koskinen, J. Moses, S. Guerlet. “A pole-to-pole map of hydrocarbons in Saturn’s upper stratosphere and mesosphere,” Icarus 417, 116133 (2024)
Z. Brown, A. Medvedev, E. Starichenko, T. Koskinen, I. M¨uller-Wodarg. “Evidence for Gravity Waves in the Thermosphere of Saturn and Implications for Global Circulation,” Geophysical Research Letters 49, id. E97219 (2022)
Z. Brown, T. Koskinen, I. M¨uller-Wodarg, R. West, A. Jouchoux, L. Esposito. “A Pole-to-Pole Pressure-Temperature Map of Saturn’s Thermosphere from Cassini Grand Finale Data,” Nature Astronomy 4, 872-879 (2020)