Machine Learning Expert? Hunt for Exoplanets

If you’re an AI expert drawn to everything about space, here’s a challenge for you. The Ariel Data Challenge 2023 is inviting AI and machine learning experts from industry and academia to help astronomers understand exoplanets.

Dr. Ingo Waldmann, Associate Professor in Astrophysics, UCL (University College London), and Ariel Data Challenge lead, explained that AI will be necessary to break through existing bottlenecks in the field of exoplanets. There are more than 5,000 planets that orbit other stars in our galaxy. The European Space Agency’s Ariel telescope will perform one of the largest-ever surveys of these planets by observing the atmospheres of approximately 20% of the known exoplanets. Ariel mission scientists are calling for the AI and machine learning community to help interpret the data.

Scientists involved in the Ariel mission need a new method to interpret data. Advanced machine learning could help them to understand the impact of different atmospheric phenomena on the observed spectrum.

The competition is open from the 14th of April to the 18th of June 2023. Participants can use any model, algorithm, data pre-processing technique, or other tools to provide a solution. They may submit as many solutions as they like, and collaborations between teams are welcomed.

This year, the competition also offers participants access to High Powered Computing resources through DiRAC, part of the UK’s Science and Technology Facilities Council’s computing facilities.

Winners will be invited to present their solutions at the ECML conference. The top three winning teams will receive sponsored tickets to ECML-PKDD in Turing or the cash equivalent. Winners will also be invited to present their solutions to the Ariel consortium.

More details about the competition and how to take part can be found on the Ariel Data Challenge website. Follow @ArielTelescope for more updates.