Prof Andrew Cameron

Professor

Phone: +44 (0)1334 46 3147
Email: acc4@st-andrews.ac.uk

Teaching

I have taught many undergraduate courses al all levels within the School. My current teaching portfolio includes the new 2nd-level course on exoplanets, the 4th-level Honours module in Observational Astrophysics, and the stellar-structure component of the 4th-level Honours module Nebulae and Stars II.

Research areas

Andrew Cameron is Professor of Astronomy at St Andrews. His research is in stellar magnetic fields and the discovery and characterisation of extrasolar planets.

In his early career, he focused on the rotational history and dynamo-generated magnetic activity of cool stars, ultimately producing micro-arcsecond resolution maps of starspot distributions and surface magnetic fields. With Dr R. D. Robinson he co-discovered the centrifugally supported "slingshot prominence" systems in the coronae of the young, rapidly rotating solar-type star AB Doradus and other similar objects.

Planet formation appears to be a natural consequence of the star formation process: 2800 planetary systems comprising nearly 4000 planets are currently known to orbit stars other than the Sun. Studying the architectures of extra-solar planetary systems is revolutionising our understanding of our own solar system's formation and dynamical history.

Cameron was elected to the Royal Society of Edinburgh in 2002, promoted to a personal chair in 2003 and was awarded the George Darwin Lectureship of the Royal Astronomical Society in 2012. He served as Head of School from 2012 to 2015. He is a founding Co-I of the WASP project, which won the 2010 RAS Group Achievement award for its discoveries. The WASP collaboration includes several UK universities, and has discovered more than 170 gas-giant planets in close orbits about their host stars, using an array of wide-field CCD cameras. WASP detects the dips in light that occur as planets pass between the observer and the host star. Their masses are determined, and their planetary nature confirmed, using optical spectroscopy to measure the reflex motion of the host star about its common centre of mass with the planet.

Space-based transit searches such as CoRoT and Kepler/K2 have produced many smaller planet candidates, down to Earth size. To determine their masses and compositions requires much finer radial-velocity precision, combined with an understanding of the effects of stellar activity on the apparent stellar radial velocity, which is often the dominant signal. Cameron is the UK Co-PI of the Geneva/PHYESTA/Harvard/INAF/Belfast HARPS-North spectrograph project, and is combining high-precision radial-velocity measurements with stellar activity characterisation to push the limits on planetary mass determination down towards the Earth-mass regime. He is a member of the Science Team for the Swiss-led ESA S-class CHaracterising ExOPlanets Satellite (CHEOPS; launch expected 2019), for which he leads the Working Group on data analysis.

PhD supervision

Ancy Anna John

Selected publications

Open access

55 Cancri e's occultation captured with CHEOPS
Demory, B-O., Sulis, S., Meier Valdés, E., Delrez, L., Brandeker, A., Billot, N., Fortier, A., Hoyer, S., Sousa, S. G., Heng, K., Lendl, M., Krenn, A., Morris, B. M., Patel, J. A., Alibert, Y., Alonso, R., Anglada, G., Bárczy, T., Barrado, D., Barros, S. C. C., Baumjohann, W., Beck, M., Beck, T., Benz, W., Bonfils, X., Broeg, C., Buder, M., Cabrera, J., Charnoz, S., Collier Cameron, A., Cottard, H., Csizmadia, S., Davies, M. B., Deleuil, M., Demangeon, O. D. S., Ehrenreich, D., Erikson, A., Fossati, L., Fridlund, M., Gandolfi, D., Gillon, M., Güdel, M., Isaak, K. G., Kiss, L. L., Laskar, J., Lecavelier des Etangs, A., Lovis, C., Luntzer, A., Magrin, D., Marafatto, L., Maxted, P. F. L., Nascimbeni, V., Olofsson, G., Ottensamer, R., Pagano, I., Pallé, E., Peter, G., Piotto, G., Pollacco, D., Queloz, D., Ragazzoni, R., Rando, N., Ratti, F., Rauer, H., Ribas, I., Santos, N. C., Scandariato, G., Ségransan, D., Simon, A. E., Smith, A. M. S., Steller, M., Szabó, G. M., Thomas, N., Udry, S., Van Grootel, V. & Walton, N. A., Jan 2023, In: Astronomy & Astrophysics. 669, 10 p., A64.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open access

A dense ring of the trans-Neptunian object Quaoar outside its Roche limit
Morgado, B. E., Sicardy, B., Braga-Ribas, F., Ortiz, J. L., Salo, H., Vachier, F., Desmars, J., Pereira, C. L., Santos-Sanz, P., Sfair, R., de Santana, T., Assafin, M., Vieira-Martins, R., Gomes-Júnior, A. R., Margoti, G., Dhillon, V. S., Fernández-Valenzuela, E., Broughton, J., Bradshaw, J., Langersek, R., Benedetti-Rossi, G., Souami, D., Holler, B. J., Kretlow, M., Boufleur, R. C., Camargo, J. I. B., Duffard, R., Beisker, W., Morales, N., Lecacheux, J., Rommel, F. L., Herald, D., Benz, W., Jehin, E., Jankowsky, F., Marsh, T. R., Littlefair, S. P., Bruno, G., Pagano, I., Brandeker, A., Collier-Cameron, A., Florén, H. G., Hara, N., Olofsson, G., Wilson, T. G., Benkhaldoun, Z., Busuttil, R., Burdanov, A., Ferrais, M., Gault, D., Gillon, M., Hanna, W., Kerr, S., Kolb, U., Nosworthy, P., Sebastian, D., Snodgrass, C., Teng, J. P. & de Wit, J., 9 Feb 2023, In: Nature. 614, 7947, p. 239-243 5 p.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open access

Can scallop-shell stars trap dust in their magnetic fields?
Sanderson, H., Jardine, M., Cameron, A. C., Morin, J. & Donati, J-F., 1 Jan 2023, In: Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. 518, 3, p. 4734–4745 12 p., stac3302.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open access

Connecting photometric and spectroscopic granulation signals with CHEOPS and ESPRESSO
Sulis, S., Lendl, M., Cegla, H., Diaz, L. F. R., Bigot, L., Grootel, V. V., Bekkelien, A., Cameron, A. C., Maxted, P. F. L., Simon, A. E., Lovis, C., Scandariato, G., Bruno, G., Nardiello, D., Bonfanti, A., Fridlund, M., Persson, C. M., Salmon, S., Sousa, S. G., Wilson, T. G., Krenn, A., Hoyer, S., Santerne, A., Ehrenreich, D., Alibert, Y., Alonso, R., Anglada, G., Bárczy, T., Navascues, D. B. Y., Barros, S. C. C., Baumjohann, W., Beck, M., Beck, T., Benz, W., Billot, N., Bonfils, X., Borsato, L., Brandeker, A., Broeg, C., Cabrera, J., Charnoz, S., Damme, C. C. V., Csizmadia, S., Davies, M. B., Deleuil, M., Deline, A., Delrez, L., Demangeon, O. D. S., Demory, B. -O., Erikson, A., Fortier, A., Fossati, L., Gandolfi, D., Gillon, M., Güdel, M., Heng, K., Isaak, K. G., Kiss, L. L., Laskar, J., Lecavalier des Etangs, A., Magrin, D., Munari, M., Nascimbeni, V., Olofsson, G., Ottensamer, R., Pagano, I., Pallé, E., Peter, G., Piotto, G., Pollacco, D., Queloz, D., Ragazzoni, R., Rando, N., Rauer, H., Ribas, I., Rieder, M., Santos, N. C., Ségransan, D., Smith, A. M. S., Steinberger, M., Steller, M., Szabó, G. M., Thomas, N., Udry, S., Walton, N. A. & Wolter, D., 1 Feb 2023, In: Astronomy & Astrophysics. 670, 30 p., A24.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open access

Discovery of TOI-1260d and the characterisation of the multi-planet system
Lam, K. W. F., Cabrera, J., Hooton, M. J., Alibert, Y., Bonfanti, A., Beck, M., Deline, A., Florén, H-G., Simon, A. E., Fossati, L., Persson, C. M., Fridlund, M., Salmon, S., Hoyer, S., Osborn, H. P., Wilson, T. G., Georgieva, I. Y., Nowak, G., Luque, R., Egger, J. A., Abidekyan, V., Alonso, R., Escudé, G. A., Bárczy, T., Barrado, D., Barros, S. C. C., Baumjohann, W., Beck, T., Bekkelien, A., Benz, W., Billot, N., Bonfils, X., Brandeker, A., Broeg, C., Charnoz, S., Cameron, A. C., Csizmadia, S., Davies, M. B., Deleuil, M., Delrez, L., Demangeon, O. D. S., Demory, B-O., Ehrenreich, D., Erikson, A., Fortier, A., Futyan, D., Gandolfi, D., Gillon, M., Guedel, M., Guterman, P., Laskar, J., Latham, D. W., Lecavelier des Etangs, A., Lendl, M., Lovis, C., Heng, K., Isaak, K. G., Kiss, L., Magrin, D., Maxted, P. F. L., Nascimbeni, V., Olofsson, G., Ottensamer, R., Pagano, I., Pallé, E., Peter, G., Piotto, G., Pollacco, D., Queloz, D., Ribas, I., Ragazzoni, R., Rando, N., Rauer, H., Santos, N. C., Scandariato, G., Seager, S., Ségransan, D., Serrano, L. M., Smith, A. M. S., Sousa, S. G., Steller, M., Szabó, G. M., Thomas, N., Udry, S., Van Grootel, V., Walton, N. A. & Winn, J. N., 1 Feb 2023, In: Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. 519, 1, p. 1437–1451 15 p., stac3639.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open access

Examining the orbital decay targets KELT-9 b, KELT-16 b, and WASP-4b, and the transit-timing variations of HD 97658 b
Harre, J-V., Smith, A. M. S., Barros, S. C. C., Boué, G., Csizmadia, S., Ehrenreich, D., Florén, H-G., Fortier, A., Maxted, P. F. L., Hooton, M. J., Akinsanmi, B., Serrano, L. M., Rosário, N. M., Demory, B-O., Jones, K., Laskar, J., Adibekyan, V., Alibert, Y., Alonso, R., Anderson, D. R., Anglada, G., Asquier, J., Bárczy, T., Barrado y Navascues, D., Baumjohann, W., Beck, M., Beck, T., Benz, W., Billot, N., Biondi, F., Bonfanti, A., Bonfils, X., Brandeker, A., Broeg, C., Cabrera, J., Cessa, V., Charnoz, S., Collier Cameron, A., Davies, M. B., Deleuil, M., Delrez, L., Demangeon, O. D. S., Erikson, A., Fossati, L., Fridlund, M., Gandolfi, D., Gillon, M., Güdel, M., Hellier, C., Heng, K., Hoyer, S., Isaak, K. G., Kiss, L. L., Lecavelier des Etangs, A., Lendl, M., Lovis, C., Luntzer, A., Magrin, D., Nascimbeni, V., Olofsson, G., Ottensamer, R., Pagano, I., Pallé, E., Persson, C. M., Peter, G., Piotto, G., Pollacco, D., Queloz, D., Ragazzoni, R., Rando, N., Rauer, H., Ribas, I., Ricker, G. R., Salmon, S., Santos, N. C., Scandariato, G., Seager, S., Ségransan, D., Simon, A. E., Sousa, S. G., Steller, M., Szabó, G. M., Thomas, N., Udry, S., Ulmer, B., Van Grootel, V., Walton, N. A., Wilson, T. G., Winn, J. N. & Wohler, B., 1 Jan 2023, In: Astronomy and Astrophysics. 669, 17 p., A124.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open access

Hint of an exocomet transit in the CHEOPS light curve of HD 172555
Kiefer, F., Van Grootel, V., Lecavelier Des Etangs, A., Szabó, G. M., Brandeker, A., Broeg, C., Collier Cameron, A., Deline, A., Olofsson, G., Wilson, T. G., Sousa, S. G., Gandolfi, D., Hébrard, G., Alibert, Y., Alonso, R., Anglada, G., Bárczy, T., Barrado, D., Barros, S. C. C., Baumjohann, W., Beck, M., Beck, T., Benz, W., Billot, N., Bonfils, X., Cabrera, J., Charnoz, S., Csizmadia, S., Davies, M. B., Deleuil, M., Delrez, L., Demangeon, O. D. S., Demory, B-O., Ehrenreich, D., Erikson, A., Fortier, A., Fossati, L., Fridlund, M., Gillon, M., Güdel, M., Heng, K., Hoyer, S., Isaak, K. G., Kiss, L. L., Laskar, J., Lendl, M., Lovis, C., Magrin, D., Maxted, P. F. L., Munari, M., Nascimbeni, V., Ottensamer, R., Pagano, I., Pallé, E., Peter, G., Piazza, D., Piotto, G., Pollacco, D., Queloz, D., Ragazzoni, R., Rando, N., Ratti, F., Rauer, H., Reimers, C., Ribas, I., Santos, N. C., Scandariato, G., Ségransan, D., Simon, A. E., Smith, A. M. S., Steller, M., Thomas, N., Udry, S., Walter, I. & Walton, N. A., Mar 2023, (E-pub ahead of print) In: Astronomy and Astrophysics. 671, 12 p., A25.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open access

Independent validation of the temperate super-Earth HD 79211 b using HARPS-N
DiTomasso, V., Nava, C., López-Morales, M., Bieryla, A., Cloutier, R., Malavolta, L., Mortier, A., Buchhave, L. A., Stassun, K. G., Sozzetti, A., Bonomo, A. S., Charbonneau, D., Collier Cameron, A., Cosentino, R., Damasso, M., Dumusque, X., Martínez Fiorenzano, A. F., Ghedina, A., Harutyunyan, A., Haywood, R. D., Latham, D., Molinari, E., Pepe, F. A., Pinamonti, M., Poretti, E., Rice, K., Sasselov, D., Stalport, M., Udry, S., Watson, C. & Wilson, T. G., 1 Feb 2023, In: Astronomical Journal. 165, 2, 22 p., 38.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open access

Kepler-102: masses and compositions for a super-Earth and sub-Neptune orbiting an active star
Brinkman, C. L., Cadman, J., Weiss, L., Gaidos, E., Rice, K., Huber, D., Claytor, Z. R., Bonomo, A. S., Buchhave, L. A., Cameron, A. C., Cosentino, R., Dumusque, X., Martinez Fiorenzano, A. F., Ghedina, A., Harutyunyan, A., Howard, A., Isaacson, H., Latham, D. W., López-Morales, M., Malavolta, L., Micela, G., Molinari, E., Pepe, F., Philips, D. F., Poretti, E., Sozzetti, A. & Udry, S., 1 Feb 2023, In: Astronomical Journal. 165, 2, 14 p., 74.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open access

Magnetic topologies of two weak-line T Tauri stars TAP 4 and TAP 40
Xiang, Y., Gu, S., Donati, J-F., Hussain, G. A. J., Cameron, A. C. & MaTYSSE Collaboration, 2 Feb 2023, (Accepted/In press) In: Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. stad363.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

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