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Planetary Thermal Emission In the Age of Roman - Dr. Zifan Lin, Washington University
NASA's Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope (RST) , scheduled to be launched in September, 2026, will complement the James Webb Space Telescope's observations of the universe in infrared light. It will deliver images comparable to those of the Hubble Space Telescope, but with a much wider field of view. Dr. Lin will talk about his planned use of the RST to study the composition and properties of rocky exoplanets - planets that circle other stars. He explains, "Measuring the dayside thermal emission of rocky exoplanets provides essential insights into their compositions and the presence of atmospheres. Recent James Webb Space Telescope observations have identified a puzzling pattern. Some rocky exoplanets orbiting small cool red stars have dayside temperatures higher than the theoretical maximum, assuming that the star is the sole energy source. This implies the presence of additional internal heat sources." The RST's observations may provide new information about the source of the extra heat sources. Dr. Zifan Lin is a postdoctoral researcher in the Physics Department and the McDonnell Center for the Space Sciences at Washington University. He has broad research interests in planetary science. He studies planetary interiors, exoplanet atmospheres, photochemistry, biosignatures, and transmission spectroscopy. This program is cosponsored by the Saint Louis Astronomical Society and the McDonnell Center For the Space Sciences at Washington University. Free parking in yellow zones and in University garages. Also available on line. Send request for the Zoom link to [email protected] .
Event Links
Website: https://go.evvnt.com/3739508-0
