Mark ClaireVirtual Planetary Laboratory - University of Washington

Adding nitrogen to the planetary greenhouse

A: Pressure Broadening due to N2 gas

B: Visible absorption of planetary radiation by NO2

Unfortunately, I must depart Wednesday evening, so if you are Interested, please talk to me soon…

UKIRT Planet Finder (UPF)

Based on successful concept design study for Gemini (HARPS-like)[8 person review chaired by Gordon Walker]

Delivery less than 3 years from receipt of approval

Real Instituto y Observatorio de la

Armada

Departament d’Astronomia i MeteorologiaUniversitat de BarcelonaObservatori Fabra

Reial Acadèmia de Ciències i Arts de BarcelonaThe Fabra-ROA Baker-Nunn Camera at

Observatori del Montsec: a wide-field imaging facility for exoplanet detection

The Baker-Nunn Camera (BNC) was manufactured and installed at ROA by Smithsonian Institution during the 60s as an optical tracking system for artificial satellites.The refurbishment project, which has already seen first technical light and will be commissioned before the end of 2009, comprises the following phases: A) mechanical modification to convert into equatorial mount and perform its complete robotization, B) optical refiguring to maximize the useful FOV with a 4kx4k 9-micron CCD camera, C) mirror realuminization and outermost lens repolishing, D) manufacture a tip-tilt adjustable spider vanes assembly and athermal focus system for CCD camera, E) construction of a reinforced glass-fiber enclosure (with sliding roof) to host the telescope at Observatori del Montsec, F) develop of software to control every device of the observatory in both remote and robotic modes.Exoplanets detection work:The refurbished BNC will perform an excellent balance of huge FOV (4.4ºx4.4º) and moderate limiting magnitude (V~20). Thanks to the robotic nature, the instrument will be able to face observational programs of transits exoplanets detection. Other BNC-based projects (APT) has already compiled a 2004-2007 catalogue of exoplanets candidates which shows that this kind of telescope can bring similar detection efficiency compared to other transit surveys (Super-WASP-N or KELT).

How Common are Extrasolar Late Heavy Bombardments?

Mark Booth, Mark Wyatt, Alessandro Morbidelli, Amaya Moro-Martín, Hal Levison

limit of detectability

observed discs

limit of detectability

Use Nice model to understand history of Solar system’s debris disc.

Rise in mid-IR emission during LHB.

Lack of emission at both 24 and 70mm at late times.

Comparison with observed discs shows that extrasolar LHBs occur around <12% of stars.

astro-ph: 0906.3755

Testing PIAA Coronagraphs at NASA AmesTom Greene, R. Belikov, E. Pluzhnik, M. Connelley, O. Guyon, D. Lynch, M. McKelvey

• The new coronagraph laboratory at NASA Ames is focused on testing PIAA technologies together with JPL.• Current intermediate contrast results are 1e-7 in a full dark zone at 2-5l/D inner working angle.• We are testing and improving a new reflective PIAA mirror set recently made by Tinsley Laboratories.