[Baps] Fwd: Baps Digest, Vol 7, Issue 6

[Bradley Thomson]

Dear Kelly,
	I hope the semester is ending well for you.  I wanted to let you know 
about a network of planetary scientists that I only recently became 
aware of:  The Boston Area Planetary Scientists or BAPS for short.  I 
apologize if you already know all about this, but it is basically a 
mailing list to keep subscribers informed of local planetary-related 
talks and events.
	Below is an example of the newsletter.  I see one of the talks is 
tomorrow at Harvard - unfortunately I won't be able to make it.  
Anyway, hope all is well.

Cheers,
Brad
__________________________
Bradley J. Thomson
Department of Geology
Brown University
Bradley_Thomson at brown.edu
phone: 401.863.3485
fax: 401.863.3978
__________________________


Begin forwarded message:

> From: baps-request at mit.edu
> Date: Mon May 24, 2004  12:03:26  PM US/Eastern
> To: baps at mit.edu
> Subject: Baps Digest, Vol 7, Issue 6
> Reply-To: baps at mit.edu
>
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> Today's Topics:
>
>    1. Two planetary talks this week (Sarah T. Stewart-Mukhopadhyay)
>
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Date: Mon, 24 May 2004 10:12:26 -0400
> From: "Sarah T. Stewart-Mukhopadhyay" <sstewart at eps.harvard.edu>
> To: <baps at mit.edu>
> Subject: [Baps] Two planetary talks this week
> Reply-To: sstewart at eps.harvard.edu
> Message: 1
>
> TUESDAY, MAY 25
> 12:30 pm: Theory Lunch Seminar. "Microlensing Searches for Extrasolar
> Planets," Dr. Scott Gaudi, CfA. Pratt Conference Room.
>
> Abstract: I review the theory of, results from, and future prospects 
> for
> microlensing searches for extrasolar planets. Analyses of well-sampled
> microlensing light curves by several collaborations have demonstrated =
> that
> current searches are quite sensitive to Jupiter-mass planets at a few 
> AU
> separations from M-dwarfs in the Galactic bulge. To date, however, no =
> clear
> planetary detections have been made. Detailed analysis has shown that =
> this
> null result implies that less than 1/3 of typical stars (i.e. 
> M-dwarfs) =
> in
> the Galactic bulge have Jupiter-mass (M ~ MJ) companions between 1.5 
> and =
> 4
> AU, and less than 45% have (M~3MJ) companions between 1 and 7 AU. 
> Recent
> upgrades by the OGLE collaboration have resulted in a dramatic 
> increase =
> in
> the number of alerted microlensing events per year. This has allowed 
> for
> much more efficient searches for planets, and has led to the first =
> detection
> of a planet with microlensing. Within a few years, it will be possible 
> =
> to
> constrain the frequency of companions with mass as small as ~15 Earth =
> masses
> to ~10%. Finally, I speculate on the future of microlensing planet =
> searches,
> focusing on the prospects for the detection Earth-mass planets. I 
> argue =
> that
> microlensing is likely to be the only technique to supply reliable
> detections of Earth-mass planets in the next decade.=20
>
>
> WEDNESDAY, MAY 26
> MEETING OF THE METEORITE DISCUSSION GROUP
> Dinner, Wine and a Talk
>
> Wednesday, May 26, 8:00 pm: "Impact Craters on Mars: Windows into the =
> Past
> and the Present," Sarah Stewart-Mukhopadkyay, Department of Earth &
> Planetary Sciences, Harvard University. The lecture will be preceded 
> by =
> a
> May wine Festival ($7 for wine and $2 for soft drinks for the evening) 
> =
> at
> 6:00 pm, and festive spring buffet dinner ($25), catered by The Basil =
> Tree,
> at 7:00 pm. To make dinner reservations, call Muazzez Lohmiller, ext.
> 5-7281, before noon, Monday, May 24. No reservations are necessary to =
> attend
> the lecture. Pratt Conference Room.=20
>
>
> More information at:
> http://cfa-www.harvard.edu/cfa/calendar/latest.html
>
>
>
>