Colloquium by Xinting Yu, University of California, Santa Cruz
In the past few decades, the fields of planetary science and astronomy have seen tremendous growth by exploring new worlds both inside and outside the Solar System. Recently, the planetary science and exoplanet communities have noted the need for cross-disciplinary research to advance both fields. I will talk about my journey as a planetary scientist studying Titan and how that inspires me to work on exoplanets from a unique perspective. I will first talk about my research on Titan on sand transport and dune formation, as an example of approaching questions in planetary science. I will then cover two aspects of my exoplanet research inspired by my Titan works, 1) how to identify surfaces on exoplanets without direct detection; 2) how clouds and hazes work in the exotic atmospheres of exoplanets. At the end of my talk, I hope you will get a taste of how solar system research can be beneficial to the exoplanet field.
Followed by wine and cheese.
Host: David Schiminovich