Special Topics in the Planetary Sciences. 6 units (2-0-4); third term. Topic for 2017–18 is Extrasolar Planets. Thousands of planets have been identified in orbit around other stars. Astronomers are now embarking on understanding the statistics of extrasolar planet populations and characterizing individual systems in detail, namely star-planet, planet-planet and planet-disk dynamical interactions, physical parameters of planets and their composition, weather phenomena, etc. Direct and indirect detection techniques are now completing the big picture of extra-solar planetary systems in all of their natural diversity. The seminar-style course will review the state of the art in exoplanet science, take up case studies, detail current and future instrument needs, and anticipate findings.
Instructors:
Andrew Howard (AH, 208 Cahill, x8747, howard@caltech)
Dimitri Mawet (DM,146 Cahill, x1452, dmawet@astro)
Konstantin Batygin (KB, 174 South Mudd, x2920, kbatygin@gps).
Class schedule: Wednesday, 3-5pm
Class website: http://astro.caltech.edu/~howard/ay198s18.html
Office Hours: By appointment - email to make sure we are in the office.
Invited speakers: Heather Knutson (HK), Sean Mills (SM), & TBD
Organization:
- 50 min talk (+10 min for questions) by instructor or invited speaker (see syllabus below for details).
- 1 student present/discusses 1 recent paper on the weekly subject: 55 min including presentation, discussion, and questions.
Book: “Exoplanets”, Sara Seager, Editor (available for purchase here and here; some chapters available online - see below)
Class requirements:
- Complete reading assignments from “Exoplanets” book or review article (to be provided 1 week in advance) and submit response to reading.
- Lead discussion one week on a paper related to that week’s topic.
- Participate in each week’s discussion of a paper related to the week’s topic.
Grading criteria:
- Attendance (sign-in sheet will be available) [20%]
- Participation during discussions [30%]
- Preparation of presentation on a paper, including meeting with professor in advance and leading discussion during presentation [30%]
- Completion of weekly Response to Reading (one missed week allowed) [20%]
Syllabus, Schedule, and Reading Assignments:
Students are expected to complete the and submit a Response to the Readings before class.
Week 1, April 4 [AH]: Radial velocity technique and major discoveries, past and future projects
Reading assignment in “Exoplanets”: Lovis & Fischer (p. 27) - available online
Discussion led by TBD on: 'A temperate exo-Earth around a quiet M dwarf at 3.4 parsecs' - Bonfils et al. (2017)
Week 2, April 11 [AH]: Transit technique, ground-based surveys, Corot, Kepler, major discoveries, future projects (TESS, PLATO)
Reading assignment in “Exoplanets”: Winn (p. 55) - available online
Discussion led by TBD on: TBD
Week 3, April 18 [SM]: Photodynamics (including TTVs, eccentricity determination, circumbinary planets)
Reading assignment: TBD
Discussion led by TBD on: TBD
Week 4, April 25 [DM]: Direct imaging and spectroscopy of exoplanets, long-period planet systems.
Reading assignments, “Imaging Extrasolar Giant Planets” - Bowler (2016)
Reading assignment in “Exoplanets”: W. A. Traub and B. R. Oppenheimer (p. 111)
Discussion led by TBD on: TBD
Week 5, May 2 [CH]: Microlensing (techniques, WFIRST, and ground-based surveys).
Reading assignment in “Exoplanets”: Gaudi (p. 79)
See also http://www.annualreviews.org/doi/pdf/10.1146/annurev-astro-081811-12551
Discussion led by TBD on: TBD
Week 6, May 9 [HK]: Exoplanet Spectroscopy - transmission, high-resolution, direct
Reading assignment: TBD
Discussion led by TBD on: TBD
Week 7, May 16 [TBD]: Circumstellar disks: infrared survey missions (IRAS, ISO, Spitzer, WISE, Herschel), the ALMA view
Reading assignment in “Exoplanets”: Roberge and Kamp (p. 269),
Discussion led by TBD on: TBD
Week 8, May 23 [KB]: Giant planet formation theory, hot and warm Jupiters, migration
Reading assignment in “Exoplanets”: D’Angelo et al. (p. 319), Lubow & Ida (p. 347)
Discussion led by TBD on: TBD
Week 9, May 30 [KB]: Small planet formation.
Reading assignement: TBD
Discussion led by TBD on: TBD
Week 10, June 6 [KB]: Interior Structure
Reading assignement: TBD
Discussion led by TBD on: TBD