W. I. Clarkson

About

W. I. Clarkson is a key figure in wide-field photometric surveys for exoplanet detection, best known for his foundational work on the SuperWASP project. His research centers on the design, deployment, and operation of ultra-wide-field robotic telescope networks capable of monitoring millions of stars with high precision over long timescales. Clarkson’s major contributions include establishing the SuperWASP-I instrument at La Palma (2004), which covers over 300 square degrees per field and targets stars between 7th and 15th magnitude. This system was pioneering in its ability to detect exoplanetary transits through high-cadence, long-baseline monitoring. His 2004 status paper (8 citations) and 2006 overview of the WASP project in the robotic telescope era (5 citations) remain essential references for the design of automated survey arrays. Clarkson’s work helped lay the technical and operational groundwork for one of the most prolific ground-based transit surveys, which has since discovered dozens of exoplanets. His achievements highlight the critical role of engineering and survey strategy in enabling modern exoplanet science.

Research Focus

Key Achievements

Top Papers

1. 1
   Status of SuperWASP I (La Palma)

   8 citations · 2004
2. 2
   The WASP project in the era of robotic telescope networks

   5 citations · 2006

Key Collaborators

Contact & Links