[Baps] BU seminar - Monday 1st - Dave Latham (CfA) on Super Earths

[Paul Withers]

Astrophysics Seminar Series

*"Super Earths and Life"*

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*Dave Latham*

*CfA*

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*Monday, October 1, 2012*

*Refreshments at 3:30pm in CAS 500*

*Talk begins at 4:00pm in CAS 522*

Abstract:

Transiting planets are special. The amount of light blocked by the
planet as it passes in front of its host star sets the size of the
planet (relative to the star). If an orbit can be derived from Doppler
spectroscopy of the host star, the light curve also provides the
orientation of the orbit, leading to the mass of the planet (again
relative to the star). The resulting density for the planet can be used
to constrain models for its structure and bulk properties. We are on the
verge of using these techniques to characterize a population of Super
Earths, planets in the range 1 to 10 Earth masses that may prove to be
rocky or water worlds. Space missions such as Kepler, Plato, and TESS
promise to play key roles in the discovery and characterization of Super
Earths.

Transiting planets also provide remarkable opportunities for
spectroscopy of planetary atmospheres: transmission spectra during
transit events and thermal emission throughout the orbit, calibrated
during secondary eclipse. Spectroscopy of Super Earths will not be easy,
but is not out of the question for the James Webb Space Telescope or the
next generation of giant ground-based telescopes. Our long-range vision
is to attack big questions, such as "Does the diversity of planetary
environments map onto a diversity of biochemistries, or is there only
one chemistry for life?" A giant first step would be to study the
diversity of global geochemistries on super-Earths and Earth analogs.

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Alyson Savoie

Fiscal Administrator

Boston University

Center for Space Physics

Institute for Astrophysical Research

725 Commonwealth Avenue, Room 506

Boston, Massachusetts 02215

Tel: 617-358-0603

Fax:617-353-6463