"If there was any chances to be any threat to the earth. Would NASA do let people know and go out in the public to warn?"
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Seminar Detail
Infrared Spectra of Extrasolar Planets
Presenter: Drake Deming ()
March 26, 2007 11:00 AM Pacific
Two independent scientific groups have recently reported the first spectroscopy of planets orbiting other stars, using the Spitzer Space Telescope. The planets (HD 209458b and HD 189733b) are "hot Jupiters" orbiting within 0.05 AU of solar-type stars, and with orbital periods from 2.2 to 3.5 days. Their orbital planes are close to our line of sight, so both planets pass in front of ("transit"), and disappear behind their stars, once each orbit. The Spitzer measurements were made by subtracting the spectrum of each star - with the planet in eclipse - from the combined infrared light of the system, to yield the infrared spectrum of the planet alone. Theorists expected that absorption by hot water vapor would dominate the spectra of these planets in the 7- 14-micron wavelength region. However, neither planet shows this expected signature, indicating that some process is masking the water absorption. One planet (HD 209458b) shows spectral features appearing in emission above a hot thermal continuum, indicating the likely presence of silicate clouds, and possibly more exotic compounds, at high altitudes in the planet's atmosphere.
The future launch of the James Webb Space Telescope will allow us to extend these measurements to spectra of transiting terrestrial planets in the habitable zones around lower main sequence stars.
Participation Instructions
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Without a Polycom...There are two ways to participate:
1) You can listen to the seminar on the telephone while viewing the slides in WebEx (see WebEx instructions above). The NASA conference phone number will be displayed when joining the WebEx meeting.
2) You can watch the Realplayer webcast at: http://vanseg-1.arc.nasa.gov/2007/AB070326-01.ram and view the slides in WebEx (see WebEx instructions above) There is a 30 second delay for the webcast, so you will need to control the slides manually using the arrow buttons in WebEx. Questions for the speaker can be posted in the WebEx chat area to be answered at the end of the talk. Do not try to watch the Realplayer webcast at the same time as the Polycom or the phone. Due to the delay in the webcast, it will sound awful, unless you like dissonance.December 21, 2007
The Director’s Seminar series features talks from scientists who are invited by the NAI Director to present their research results to the community. A primary goal of the seminars is to encourage interdisciplinary collaboration across NAI teams and within the astrobiology community at large.
Team Overview Seminars describe the work of the fourteen NAI teams and NAI Central. They offer an opportunity to find out more about the science, E/PO and other activities being performed by the NAI teams and the NAI Central office.
The Forum for Astrobiology Research (FAR) provides an opportunity for graduate students to present their research results and to meet as a student community for networking and mutual support.
The University of Washington seminar series is hosted by the NAI Virtual Planetary Lab (VPL) team from the UW campus in Seattle.
