Exoplanet Imaging: From Precision Optics to Precision Measurements

I will first present recent observational results pertaining to the formation history of giant planets. This work was mostly carried out using the Gemini Planet Imager instrument: I will highlight our group’s successful effort to deliver a uniform and self-consistent family portrait of the atmospheric compositions and orbital properties of nearby young Jupiter analogs. I will discuss what these results teach us about Jovian planet formation, and how they can be completed by ongoing HST and future JWST observations. I will then delve into future experiments aimed at identifying biomarkers in the atmosphere of temperate earth analogs. I will present our group’s recent results on optimizing earth finding coronagraphs with large segmented apertures in space. Finally, I will discuss current challenges in space based high-contrast instrumentation, along with my vision for both science and technology roadmaps towards a Large UV/Optical/IR (LUVOIR) Surveyor.

Speaker: Laurent Pueyo (STScI).

All 2018 Fall Colloquia talks are held on Wednesdays in the STScI John N. Bahcall Auditorium at 3:00 p.m. preceded by tea at 2:45 p.m.

Please direct questions or comments to the contact above. The 2018-19 committee members are Jason Tumlinson (Chair), Alaina Henry, Lea Hagen, Ethan Vishniac (JHU Co-chair), Kevin Schlaufman (JHU), and Kate Rowlands (JHU).