JPL Publication 06-05

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

JPL Publication 06-05 JPL Publication 06-5, Rev A Earth-Like Exoplanets: The Science of NASA’s Navigator Program Edited by: P. R. Lawson and W. A. Traub National Aeronautics and Space Administration Jet Propulsion Laboratory California Institute of Technology Pasadena, California October 16, 2006 This research was carried out at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, under a contract with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Reference herein to any specific commercial product, process, or service by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise, does not constitute or imply its endorsement by the United States Government or the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology. ii A BSTRACT Abstract This book outlines the exoplanet science content of NASA’s Navigator Program, and it identifies the exoplanet research priorities. The goal of Navigator Program missions is to detect and characterize Earth- like planets in the habitable zone of nearby stars and to search for signs of life on those planets. The Navigator Program includes the ground-based Keck Interferometer and the Large Binocular Telescope Interferometer, designed to measure the inner and outer dust disks of nearby stars. The Navigator Program also includes three space-based missions: Space Interferometry Mission (SIM) PlanetQuest, Terrestrial Planet Finder Coronagraph (TPF-C), and Terrestrial Planet Finder Interferometer (TPF-I). The scientific goals of these missions are complementary: SIM will determine the orbits and masses of nearby planets, down to about one Earth-mass; TPF-C and TPF-I will detect Earth-like planets in the habitable zone of nearby stars and will measure the colors and spectra of these planets, in the visible and infrared respectively, to characterize them and look for signs of life. Each mission measures unique properties of exoplanets. Together the missions build a synergistic picture of exoplanets. No single mission can do this. We describe expected progress in exoplanet science research. We highlight areas worthy of investment by NASA. We list opportunities for funding from NASA and other agencies. This book also serves a programmatic purpose. The science priorities described here are tied to the development phases of individual Navigator missions. Preparatory science conducted by observational and theoretical research is essential to help define future missions, to aid our understanding of the planets that could be discovered, and to better understand the star systems that these missions will study. The programmatic gates and preparatory science requirements are listed for SIM PlanetQuest, TPF-C, and TPF-I. We will annually review and update this book as needed. The current edition is available online at http://planetquest.jpl.nasa.gov/documents/NavigatorScience2006.pdf. iii A PPROVALS Approvals Released by: ___________________ ______ JPL Peter R. Lawson date Science Architect, Navigator Program Approved by: ___________________ ______ Approved by: ___________________ ______ JPL Wesley A. Traub date NASA HQ Lia LaPiana date Chief Scientist, Program Executive, Navigator Program Navigator Program Approved by: ___________________ ______ Approved by: ___________________ ______ JPL Michael Devirian date NASA HQ Stephen Ridgway date Manager, Program Scientist, Navigator Program Navigator Program Approved by: ___________________ ______ Approved by: ___________________ ______ JPL Jakob van Zyl date NASA HQ Richard Howard date Director, JPL Astronomy & Physics Director, Directorate Astronomy and Physics Division v C ONTENTS Contents Approvals ........................................................................................................................... v Contents............................................................................................................................vii Preface ............................................................................................................................... xi 1 Introduction................................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Exoplanet Science: A New Interdisciplinary Field........................................................................... 1 1.2 The State of Exoplanet Science ........................................................................................................ 1 1.3 References......................................................................................................................................... 4 2 NASA Missions and the Search for Earth-Like Planets .......................................... 9 2.1 Fundamental Questions..................................................................................................................... 9 2.2 Study the Formation and Evolution of Planetary Systems.............................................................. 10 2.3 Explore the Diversity of Other Worlds........................................................................................... 12 2.4 Search for Habitable Planets and Life............................................................................................. 15 2.5 Navigator Program.......................................................................................................................... 21 2.6 Summary of Contributing NASA Missions.................................................................................... 28 3 Frequency of Terrestrial Planets............................................................................... 33 3.1 Objectives of Precursor Science ..................................................................................................... 33 3.2 Observational Programs.................................................................................................................. 36 3.3 Theory and Modeling...................................................................................................................... 45 3.4 Summary: Opportunities, Risk, and Priorities ................................................................................ 51 3.5 References....................................................................................................................................... 53 4 Exozodiacal Dust......................................................................................................... 55 4.1 Objectives of Precursor Science ..................................................................................................... 55 4.2 Observational Programs.................................................................................................................. 58 4.3 Theory and Modeling...................................................................................................................... 63 4.4 Summary: Opportunities, Risk, and Priorities ................................................................................ 67 4.5 References....................................................................................................................................... 68 vii C ONTENTS 5 Target Stars ................................................................................................................. 71 5.1 Objectives of Precursor Science ..................................................................................................... 71 5.2 Observational Programs.................................................................................................................. 74 5.3 Theory and Modeling...................................................................................................................... 77 5.4 Target Stars and Mission Studies.................................................................................................... 78 5.5 Summary: Opportunities, Risk, and Priorities ................................................................................ 83 5.6 References....................................................................................................................................... 83 6 Signs of Life ................................................................................................................. 87 6.1 Objectives of Precursor Science ..................................................................................................... 87 6.2 Observational Programs.................................................................................................................. 90 6.3 Theory and Modeling...................................................................................................................... 94 6.4 Summary: Opportunities, Risk, and Priorities .............................................................................. 100 6.5 References..................................................................................................................................... 101 7 Astrophysics and Exoplanets ................................................................................... 105 7.1 Capabilities ................................................................................................................................... 108 7.2 General Astrophysics Objectives.................................................................................................. 109 7.3 Formation and Evolution of Stars ................................................................................................. 110 7.4 Formation and Evolution
Recommended publications
  • Astronomie in Theorie Und Praxis 8. Auflage in Zwei Bänden Erik Wischnewski
    Astronomie in Theorie und Praxis 8. Auflage in zwei Bänden Erik Wischnewski Inhaltsverzeichnis 1 Beobachtungen mit bloßem Auge 37 Motivation 37 Hilfsmittel 38 Drehbare Sternkarte Bücher und Atlanten Kataloge Planetariumssoftware Elektronischer Almanach Sternkarten 39 2 Atmosphäre der Erde 49 Aufbau 49 Atmosphärische Fenster 51 Warum der Himmel blau ist? 52 Extinktion 52 Extinktionsgleichung Photometrie Refraktion 55 Szintillationsrauschen 56 Angaben zur Beobachtung 57 Durchsicht Himmelshelligkeit Luftunruhe Beispiel einer Notiz Taupunkt 59 Solar-terrestrische Beziehungen 60 Klassifizierung der Flares Korrelation zur Fleckenrelativzahl Luftleuchten 62 Polarlichter 63 Nachtleuchtende Wolken 64 Haloerscheinungen 67 Formen Häufigkeit Beobachtung Photographie Grüner Strahl 69 Zodiakallicht 71 Dämmerung 72 Definition Purpurlicht Gegendämmerung Venusgürtel Erdschattenbogen 3 Optische Teleskope 75 Fernrohrtypen 76 Refraktoren Reflektoren Fokus Optische Fehler 82 Farbfehler Kugelgestaltsfehler Bildfeldwölbung Koma Astigmatismus Verzeichnung Bildverzerrungen Helligkeitsinhomogenität Objektive 86 Linsenobjektive Spiegelobjektive Vergütung Optische Qualitätsprüfung RC-Wert RGB-Chromasietest Okulare 97 Zusatzoptiken 100 Barlow-Linse Shapley-Linse Flattener Spezialokulare Spektroskopie Herschel-Prisma Fabry-Pérot-Interferometer Vergrößerung 103 Welche Vergrößerung ist die Beste? Blickfeld 105 Lichtstärke 106 Kontrast Dämmerungszahl Auflösungsvermögen 108 Strehl-Zahl Luftunruhe (Seeing) 112 Tubusseeing Kuppelseeing Gebäudeseeing Montierungen 113 Nachführfehler
    [Show full text]
  • Extrasolar Planets
    Extrasolar Planets to appear in Encyclopedia of Time, Sage Publishing, in preparation, H.J. Birx (Ed.) The term extrasolar planets or exoplanets stands for planets outside our Solar System, i.e. not orbiting the Sun, but other stars. Planets in our Solar System are defined as objects with enough mass to be spherical and round by their own gravity and to be alone on their orbit around the Sun, i.e. to be the dominant object in a particular orbit, and not to be a moon or asteroid (see the entry Planet in this encyclopedia for the official definition, the historical debate, and a discussion of the planets of our Solar System). Most exoplanets are discovered by observing the stellar motion around the common center of mass of the star+planet system, i.e. by observing somehow the motion of the objects in orbit around each other, i.e. by measuring precisely the periodic variation of certain values, e.g. radial velocity or brightness, with time, e.g. the first extrasolar planets were found with the timing technique around a pulsating neutron star. The recent definition of Planets of our Solar System by the International Astronomical Union deals mainly with the question of the minimum mass for an object to qualify as planet and excludes Pluto. This matter was raised by the fact that more and more objects similar to Pluto were discovered by larger and larger telescopes. The questions of maximum mass and formation of planets were left out in this new definition, possibly partly because there is not yet a consensus in the international community.
    [Show full text]
  • The Slow Spin of the Young Sub-Stellar Companion GQ Lupi B and Its Orbital Configuration Henriette Schwarz1?, Christian Ginski1, Remco J
    Astronomy & Astrophysics manuscript no. AA-2016-28908-preprint c ESO 2016 July 4, 2016 The slow spin of the young sub-stellar companion GQ Lupi b and its orbital configuration Henriette Schwarz1?, Christian Ginski1, Remco J. de Kok1; 2, Ignas A. G. Snellen1, Matteo Brogi3; 5, and Jayne L. Birkby4; 6 1 Leiden Observatory, Leiden University, PO Box 9513, 2300 RA Leiden, The Netherlands 2 SRON Netherlands Institute for Space Research, Sorbonnelaan 2, 3584 CA Utrecht, The Netherlands 3 Center for Astrophysics and Space Astronomy, University of Colorado at Boulder, CO 80309 Boulder, USA 4 Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, 60 Garden Street, MA 02138 Cambridge, USA 5 NASA Hubble Fellow 6 NASA Sagan Fellow ABSTRACT The spin of a planet or brown dwarf is related to the accretion process, and therefore studying spin can help promote our understand- ing of the formation of such objects. We present the projected rotational velocity of the young sub-stellar companion GQ Lupi b, along with its barycentric radial velocity. The directly imaged exoplanet or brown dwarf companion joins a small but growing en- semble of wide-orbit sub-stellar companions with a spin measurement. The GQ Lupi system was observed at high spectral resolution (R ∼100 000), and in the analysis we made use of both spectral and spatial filtering to separate the signal of the companion from that of the host star. We detect both CO (S/N=11.6) and H2O (S/N=7.7) in the atmosphere of GQ Lupi b by cross-correlating with model +0:9 −1 spectra, and we find it to be a slow rotator with a projected rotational velocity of 5:3−1:0 km s .
    [Show full text]
  • A Citation Study of Citizen Science Projects in Space Science and Astronomy
    Odenwald, S. 2018. A Citation Study of Citizen Science Projects in Space Science and Astronomy. Citizen Science: Theory and Practice, 3(2): 5, pp. 1–11. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5334/cstp.152 RESEARCH PAPER A Citation Study of Citizen Science Projects in Space Science and Astronomy Sten Odenwald This paper presents a citation study of 143 publications in refereed journals resulting from 23 citizen science (CS) projects in space science and astronomy. The projects generated a median of two papers during their average of six years of operation. The 143 papers produced 4,515 citations for a median of 10 citations/paper. These papers were compared to a uniform group of papers published in the year 2000 in refereed space science journals. The CS papers have an average annual peak citation rate that is about four times the average of the year-2000 sample. The CS citation history profiles peak within 3 years after paper publication but decline thereafter at a faster pace than the average paper published in 2000. This suggests that CS papers “burn brighter” but remain of interest for only half as long as other papers in space science and astronomy. Nevertheless, CS papers compare well with some of the most highly ranked “Top-1000” research papers of the modern era. The proportion of CS papers surpassing 200 citations is one-in-26, which is 40-fold higher than the proportion for the typical paper published in 2000. The study concludes that CS projects are not only as good as conventional non-CS research projects in generating publishable results, but can actually outperform the citation rates of the typical non-CS papers in space science and astronomy.
    [Show full text]
  • POTOMAC VALLEY MASTER NATURALISTS Citizen Science Projects West Virginia Citizen Science Opportunities
    POTOMAC VALLEY MASTER NATURALISTS Citizen Science Projects West Vir inia Citizen Science Opportunities Crayfishes in WV: Zach Loughman, Natural History Research Specialist at West Liberty State College, is running a statewide survey of the Crayfishes found in W and would appreciate any help in collecting. Contact him at: Zachary J. Loughman, Natural History Research Specialist, Campus Service Center Box 139, West Liberty State College, West Liberty, W , 26704, .hone: (3040 33612923, Fax: (3040 33612266, 4loughman5westliberty.edu . WVDNR Research Projects: Contact Keiran O89alley at Romney and volunteer to help on any surveys or other pro:ects. (He teaches the . 9N Reptiles and Amphibian Class.) Contact him at 6ieran.M.O89alley5wv.gov )ird Bandin : Contact Bob Dean who bands locally and volunteer to help him. Contact Bob at 304175413042 or BobDean525gmail.com . Fish Research Projects: Contact Vicki Bla4er at the USGS National Fish Health Research Lab in 6earneysville W . You8ll start out recording notes during research field work, but as you gain knowledge and experience, you can do more. Contact Vicki at vbla4er5usgs.gov. Citizen Science Opportunities Astronomy and Weather The Mil.y Way Project www.Milkywaypro:ect.org The Milky Way .ro:ect is currently working with data taken from the Galactic Legacy Infrared Mid1 .lane Survey Extraordinaire (GLI9.SE0 and the 9ultiband Imaging .hotometer for Spit4er Galactic .lane Survey (9I.SGAL0. We're looking for bubbles. These bubbles are part of the life cycle of stars. Some bubbles have already been found 1 by the study that inspired this pro:ect 1 but we want to find more! By finding more, we will build up a comprehensive view of not only these bubbles, but our galaxy as a whole.
    [Show full text]
  • An Upper Limit on the Mass of the Circumplanetary Disk for DH Tau B
    Draft version August 28, 2021 Preprint typeset using LATEX style emulateapj v. 12/16/11 AN UPPER LIMIT ON THE MASS OF THE CIRCUM-PLANETARY DISK FOR DH TAU B* Schuyler G. Wolff1, Franc¸ois Menard´ 2, Claudio Caceres3, Charlene Lefevre` 4, Mickael Bonnefoy2,Hector´ Canovas´ 5,Sebastien´ Maret2, Christophe Pinte2, Matthias R. Schreiber6, and Gerrit van der Plas2 Draft version August 28, 2021 ABSTRACT DH Tau is a young (∼1 Myr) classical T Tauri star. It is one of the few young PMS stars known to be associated with a planetary mass companion, DH Tau b, orbiting at large separation and detected by direct imaging. DH Tau b is thought to be accreting based on copious Hα emission and exhibits variable Paschen Beta emission. NOEMA observations at 230 GHz allow us to place constraints on the disk dust mass for both DH Tau b and the primary in a regime where the disks will appear optically thin. We estimate a disk dust mass for the primary, DH Tau A of 17:2 ± 1:7 M⊕, which gives a disk- to-star mass ratio of 0.014 (assuming the usual Gas-to-Dust mass ratio of 100 in the disk). We find a conservative disk dust mass upper limit of 0.42M⊕ for DH Tau b, assuming that the disk temperature is dominated by irradiation from DH Tau b itself. Given the environment of the circumplanetary disk, variable illumination from the primary or the equilibrium temperature of the surrounding cloud would lead to even lower disk mass estimates. A MCFOST radiative transfer model including heating of the circumplanetary disk by DH Tau b and DH Tau A suggests that a mass averaged disk temperature of 22 K is more realistic, resulting in a dust disk mass upper limit of 0.09M⊕ for DH Tau b.
    [Show full text]
  • Collisional Modelling of the AU Microscopii Debris Disc
    A&A 581, A97 (2015) Astronomy DOI: 10.1051/0004-6361/201525664 & c ESO 2015 Astrophysics Collisional modelling of the AU Microscopii debris disc Ch. Schüppler1, T. Löhne1, A. V. Krivov1, S. Ertel2, J. P. Marshall3;4, S. Wolf5, M. C. Wyatt6, J.-C. Augereau7;8, and S. A. Metchev9 1 Astrophysikalisches Institut und Universitätssternwarte, Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena, Schillergäßchen 2–3, 07745 Jena, Germany e-mail: [email protected] 2 European Southern Observatory, Alonso de Cordova 3107, Vitacura, Casilla 19001, Santiago, Chile 3 School of Physics, University of New South Wales, NSW 2052 Sydney, Australia 4 Australian Centre for Astrobiology, University of New South Wales, NSW 2052 Sydney, Australia 5 Institut für Theoretische Physik und Astrophysik, Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel, Leibnizstraße 15, 24098 Kiel, Germany 6 Institute of Astronomy, University of Cambridge, Madingley Road, Cambridge CB3 0HA, UK 7 Université Grenoble Alpes, IPAG, 38000 Grenoble, France 8 CNRS, IPAG, 38000 Grenoble, France 9 University of Western Ontario, Department of Physics and Astronomy, 1151 Richmond Avenue, London, ON N6A 3K7, Canada Received 14 January 2015 / Accepted 12 June 2015 ABSTRACT AU Microscopii’s debris disc is one of the most famous and best-studied debris discs and one of only two resolved debris discs around M stars. We perform in-depth collisional modelling of the AU Mic disc including stellar radiative and corpuscular forces (stellar winds), aiming at a comprehensive understanding of the dust production and the dust and planetesimal dynamics in the system. Our models are compared to a suite of observational data for thermal and scattered light emission, ranging from the ALMA radial surface brightness profile at 1.3 mm to spatially resolved polarisation measurements in the visible.
    [Show full text]
  • The Constellation Microscopium, the Microscope Microscopium Is A
    The Constellation Microscopium, the Microscope Microscopium is a small constellation in the southern sky, defined in the 18th century by Nicolas Louis de Lacaille in 1751–52 . Its name is Latin for microscope; it was invented by Lacaille to commemorate the compound microscope, i.e. one that uses more than one lens. The first microscope was invented by the two brothers, Hans and Zacharius Jensen, Dutch spectacle makers of Holland in 1590, who were also involved in the invention of the telescope (see below). Lacaille first showed it on his map of 1756 under the name le Microscope but Latinized this to Microscopium on the second edition published in 1763. He described it as consisting of "a tube above a square box". It contains sixty-nine stars, varying in magnitude from 4.8 to 7, the lucida being Gamma Microscopii of apparent magnitude 4.68. Two star systems have been found to have planets, while another has a debris disk. The stars that now comprise Microscopium may formerly have belonged to the hind feet of Sagittarius. However, this is uncertain as, while its stars seem to be referred to by Al-Sufi as having been seen by Ptolemy, Al-Sufi does not specify their exact positions. Microscopium is bordered Capricornus to the north, Piscis Austrinus and Grus to the west, Sagittarius to the east, Indus to the south, and touching on Telescopium to the southeast. The recommended three-letter abbreviation for the constellation, as adopted Seen in the 1824 star chart set Urania's Mirror (lower left) by the International Astronomical Union in 1922, is 'Mic'.
    [Show full text]
  • Zooniverse: Observing the World's Largest Citizen Science Platform
    Zooniverse: Observing the World’s Largest Citizen Science Platform Robert Simpson Kevin R. Page David De Roure Department of Physics Oxford e-Research Centre Oxford e-Research Centre University of Oxford University of Oxford University of Oxford United Kingdom United Kingdom United Kingdom [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] ABSTRACT data is shown to users in the form of images, video and au- This paper introduces the Zooniverse citizen science project dio via one of the Zooniverse websites. Volunteers are shown and software framework, outlining its structure from an ob- how to perform that required analysis via a simple guide or servatory perspective: both as an observable web-based sys- tutorial such that they can then identify, classify, mark, and tem in itself, and as an example of a platform iteratively label them as researchers would do. developed according to real-world deployment and used at The first Zooniverse project, Galaxy Zoo [4, 3], launched scale. We include details of the technical architecture of Zo- in July 2007 and successfully engaged 165,000 volunteers in oniverse, including the mechanisms for data gathering across the morphological classification of images of galaxies. The the Zooniverse operation, access, and analysis. We consider early success of this first project led the team behind it to the lessons that can be drawn from the experience of design- explore new research domains and types of task and user ing and running Zooniverse, and how this might inform de- interface. velopment of other web observatories.
    [Show full text]
  • Exoplanet.Eu Catalog Page 1 # Name Mass Star Name
    exoplanet.eu_catalog # name mass star_name star_distance star_mass OGLE-2016-BLG-1469L b 13.6 OGLE-2016-BLG-1469L 4500.0 0.048 11 Com b 19.4 11 Com 110.6 2.7 11 Oph b 21 11 Oph 145.0 0.0162 11 UMi b 10.5 11 UMi 119.5 1.8 14 And b 5.33 14 And 76.4 2.2 14 Her b 4.64 14 Her 18.1 0.9 16 Cyg B b 1.68 16 Cyg B 21.4 1.01 18 Del b 10.3 18 Del 73.1 2.3 1RXS 1609 b 14 1RXS1609 145.0 0.73 1SWASP J1407 b 20 1SWASP J1407 133.0 0.9 24 Sex b 1.99 24 Sex 74.8 1.54 24 Sex c 0.86 24 Sex 74.8 1.54 2M 0103-55 (AB) b 13 2M 0103-55 (AB) 47.2 0.4 2M 0122-24 b 20 2M 0122-24 36.0 0.4 2M 0219-39 b 13.9 2M 0219-39 39.4 0.11 2M 0441+23 b 7.5 2M 0441+23 140.0 0.02 2M 0746+20 b 30 2M 0746+20 12.2 0.12 2M 1207-39 24 2M 1207-39 52.4 0.025 2M 1207-39 b 4 2M 1207-39 52.4 0.025 2M 1938+46 b 1.9 2M 1938+46 0.6 2M 2140+16 b 20 2M 2140+16 25.0 0.08 2M 2206-20 b 30 2M 2206-20 26.7 0.13 2M 2236+4751 b 12.5 2M 2236+4751 63.0 0.6 2M J2126-81 b 13.3 TYC 9486-927-1 24.8 0.4 2MASS J11193254 AB 3.7 2MASS J11193254 AB 2MASS J1450-7841 A 40 2MASS J1450-7841 A 75.0 0.04 2MASS J1450-7841 B 40 2MASS J1450-7841 B 75.0 0.04 2MASS J2250+2325 b 30 2MASS J2250+2325 41.5 30 Ari B b 9.88 30 Ari B 39.4 1.22 38 Vir b 4.51 38 Vir 1.18 4 Uma b 7.1 4 Uma 78.5 1.234 42 Dra b 3.88 42 Dra 97.3 0.98 47 Uma b 2.53 47 Uma 14.0 1.03 47 Uma c 0.54 47 Uma 14.0 1.03 47 Uma d 1.64 47 Uma 14.0 1.03 51 Eri b 9.1 51 Eri 29.4 1.75 51 Peg b 0.47 51 Peg 14.7 1.11 55 Cnc b 0.84 55 Cnc 12.3 0.905 55 Cnc c 0.1784 55 Cnc 12.3 0.905 55 Cnc d 3.86 55 Cnc 12.3 0.905 55 Cnc e 0.02547 55 Cnc 12.3 0.905 55 Cnc f 0.1479 55
    [Show full text]
  • 121012-AAS-221 Program-14-ALL, Page 253 @ Preflight
    221ST MEETING OF THE AMERICAN ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY 6-10 January 2013 LONG BEACH, CALIFORNIA Scientific sessions will be held at the: Long Beach Convention Center 300 E. Ocean Blvd. COUNCIL.......................... 2 Long Beach, CA 90802 AAS Paper Sorters EXHIBITORS..................... 4 Aubra Anthony ATTENDEE Alan Boss SERVICES.......................... 9 Blaise Canzian Joanna Corby SCHEDULE.....................12 Rupert Croft Shantanu Desai SATURDAY.....................28 Rick Fienberg Bernhard Fleck SUNDAY..........................30 Erika Grundstrom Nimish P. Hathi MONDAY........................37 Ann Hornschemeier Suzanne H. Jacoby TUESDAY........................98 Bethany Johns Sebastien Lepine WEDNESDAY.............. 158 Katharina Lodders Kevin Marvel THURSDAY.................. 213 Karen Masters Bryan Miller AUTHOR INDEX ........ 245 Nancy Morrison Judit Ries Michael Rutkowski Allyn Smith Joe Tenn Session Numbering Key 100’s Monday 200’s Tuesday 300’s Wednesday 400’s Thursday Sessions are numbered in the Program Book by day and time. Changes after 27 November 2012 are included only in the online program materials. 1 AAS Officers & Councilors Officers Councilors President (2012-2014) (2009-2012) David J. Helfand Quest Univ. Canada Edward F. Guinan Villanova Univ. [email protected] [email protected] PAST President (2012-2013) Patricia Knezek NOAO/WIYN Observatory Debra Elmegreen Vassar College [email protected] [email protected] Robert Mathieu Univ. of Wisconsin Vice President (2009-2015) [email protected] Paula Szkody University of Washington [email protected] (2011-2014) Bruce Balick Univ. of Washington Vice-President (2010-2013) [email protected] Nicholas B. Suntzeff Texas A&M Univ. suntzeff@aas.org Eileen D. Friel Boston Univ. [email protected] Vice President (2011-2014) Edward B. Churchwell Univ. of Wisconsin Angela Speck Univ. of Missouri [email protected] [email protected] Treasurer (2011-2014) (2012-2015) Hervey (Peter) Stockman STScI Nancy S.
    [Show full text]
  • Citizen Scientists Map Massive Star Formation Throughout the Milky Way
    Citizen Scientists Map Massive Star Formation Throughout the Milky Way www.milkywayproject.org Matthew S. Povich California State Polytechnic University, Pomona Milky Way Project Zookeeper and “Science Guru” To be a professional astronomer... What the public thinks we do: What we actually do: Percival Lowell and the Maran “Canals”: An Historical Anecdote on the Perils of “By-Eye” Astronomy Maran “canals” as drawn by Lowell It seems a thousand pities that all those magnificent theories of Lowell was particularly human habitation, canal construction, planetary crystallisation, and interested in the canals of the like are based upon lines which our experiments compel us to Mars, as drawn by Italian declare non-existent; but with the planet Mars still left, and the astronomer Giovanni imagination unimpaired, there remains hope that a new theory no Schiaparelli, director of the less attractive may yet be developed, and on a basis more solid than MilanPercival Lowell (1855-1916) Observatory, during the opposition of 1877. “mere seeming.” (wikipedia) —J. E. Evans & E.W. Maunder Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society 19033 • The original Galaxy Zoo was launched in 2007. • The data: One million galaxies imaged by the robotic Sloan Digital Sky Survey Telescope. • The response: >50 million classifications by 150,000 people in the first year! • The outcome: 50 articles (and counting) in professional astronomy journals, and the Zooniverse was born... Galaxy classificaon—A simple problem, difficult for computers Normal spiral galaxy Red spiral galaxy Ellipcal galaxy The human eye–brain combinaon is I know my sll the best paern-recognion system Mommy’s in the known universe! voice and face! 5 2008: Hanny van Arkel discovers a “Voorwerp” Interested citizens who are NOT professional scientists can make discoveries reported in leading journals.
    [Show full text]