Pegah Salbi

Canadian Institute for Theoretical Astrophysics

Papers

Total Citations

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About

Pegah Salbi is a pioneering observational astronomer whose work has pushed the boundaries of exoplanet detection into one of Earth’s most extreme environments. Her primary research focuses on high-Arctic astronomy, leveraging the unique conditions of the Canadian High Arctic at 80° North—specifically near the Eureka station on Ellesmere Island—to conduct uninterrupted, long-duration surveys during the 24-hour polar night. Salbi’s major contribution lies in demonstrating that this remote site offers a rare combination of continuous darkness, exceptionally dark skies, and prolonged cloud-free periods, making it an ideal location for time-critical exoplanet transit searches. Her most-cited paper, “New Exoplanet Surveys in the Canadian High Arctic at 80 Degrees North” (2012), with 4 citations, established the feasibility of this novel approach and laid the groundwork for future robotic and remote observatories in the region. This work not only expands the geographic scope of exoplanet research but also provides a cost-effective alternative to space-based telescopes for monitoring transiting planets. Salbi’s achievements highlight her role as a trailblazer in extreme-site astronomy, opening a new frontier for ground-based exoplanet science in one of the planet’s last unexplored observational niches.