Events

 
Speaker: Adam Burrows, Princeton University

Title: "Theoretical Frontiers of Exoplanet Research"

Abstract: Approximately 400 exoplanets, mostly giant planets
in the Jovian mass range, but also more than 50
"Neptune-mass" planets, have been detected orbiting stars
in the solar neighborhood.  More than 15% of these are transiting
their primaries and these have collectively yielded a wealth of
structural and physical information.  A number of these
exoplanets have recently been detected directly by
the Spitzer infrared space telescope, NICMOS on HST,
Kepler, and CoRoT in secondary eclipse and primary transit.
These constitute the first remote-sensing data of extrasolar
worlds, and JWST stands in the wings to push this science
to the next level. I will present the embryonic theory
of such irradiated giant planets and discuss what we
have learned about their atmospheres, radii, and compositions.
I will also address what we may soon learn from the variety
of ground-based and space-based telescopes being planned
or already under development as the exploding field of
exoplanets accelerates into its future.