Planet Formation, Planet Dynamics, Protoplanetary Disks
Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/T. Pyle (SSC)
Since the discovery of the first exoplanet just over twenty years ago, the study of exoplanets has grown explosively. By now, astronomers have discovered thousands of exoplanets, with an incredibly diverse array of properties. This growth will undoubtedly continue into the future, as new kinds of planets are being observed with increasingly advanced telescopes. Faculty in CIERA study exoplanets theoretically and build instruments to directly image them.
Research at CIERA
The groups of Professors Rasio and Lithwick carry out theoretical work and simulations to study the long-term dynamics of planetary systems. Both groups study the chaotic dynamics of multi-planet systems as they evolve. Professor Rasio’s group also studies planet-planet interactions, star-planet interactions and tidal disruptions, and planets in binary star systems.
Professor Ulmer’s group is developing new infrared camera technology to advance our understanding of planetary systems by directly imaging planets around other stars.
Professor Wang’s group works on developing and using new instrumentation (high contrast imaging, high resolution spectroscopy, optical interferometry) to study directly imaged planetary systems and measure properties such as mass, orbital configuration, composition, and spin.
Professor Geller studies how gravitational interactions within star clusters can modify planetary systems over time, using numerical simulations, and how these simulated planets correspond with observations.
Professor Muñoz studies mechanisms like disk-driven and high-eccentricity migration, distorted protoplanetary disks, and few-body secular dynamics and stellar obliquities.
Professor Fragione uses numerical methods to investigate the origin and fate of planetary systems in binary and triple stars.
Opportunities
Deadline: 11:59pm, March 20, 2023
REACH (Research Experiences in Astronomy at CIERA for High School Students) is a highly interactive, 3-week program (with an optional 3-week extension) that provides high school students experience with astronomy research in an atmosphere of team-style learning, hands-on training, and mentorship from professional scientists. Students enrolled in the program engage in astronomy research projects with CIERA astronomers.
News
Gallery
Twelve-Year Exoplanet Timelapse
Twelve-Year Exoplanet Timelapse
Using observations collected from 2009 to 2021 CIERA Professor Jason Wang has assembled a time lapse video of HR8799, the first directly imaged extrasolar planetary system. The video shows a family of four exoplanets, each more massive than Jupiter, orbiting their star and gives viewers an unprecedented glimpse into planetary motion. To construct the video,
Jason Wang/Northwestern/CIERA
- Outreach,
- Science
Northwestern Astronomer Part of Webb Telescope Team to Image Exoplanet
Northwestern Astronomer Part of Webb Telescope Team to Image Exoplanet
For the first time, the James Webb Space Telescope has been used to directly image an exoplanet — that’s a planet outside of our solar system. Although it’s not the first time an exoplanet has been directly imaged, it is the first time the Webb Telescope’s powerful gaze has been turned to the task. And
Northwestern astrophysicist contributes to Webb’s first exoplanet image
Northwestern astrophysicist contributes to Webb’s first exoplanet image
This image shows the exoplanet HIP 65426 b in different bands of infrared light, as seen from the James Webb Space Telescope: purple shows the NIRCam instrument’s view at 3.00 micrometers, blue shows the NIRCam instrument’s view at 4.44 micrometers, yellow shows the MIRI instrument’s view at 11.4 micrometers, and red shows the MIRI instrument’s
NASA/ESA/CSA, A Carter (UCSC), the ERS 1386 team and A. Pagan (STScI)
- Science
Fluid Dynamics of Jupiter in the lab: deep jets and floating vortices | Michael Le Bars
CIERA’s 12th Annual Public Lecture, “Strange New Worlds: Is Earth Special?”
CIERA’s 12th Annual Public Lecture, “Strange New Worlds: Is Earth Special?”
This lecture was presented on October 14, 2021 by Dr. Phil Plait, astronomer and best-selling author. Plait discussed the explosion in exoplanet detections since the 1990s (over four thousand so far!). These planets orbit a wide variety of stars, and themselves are all wildly different; huge, small, hot, cold, airless, or with thick atmospheres. The
Great Conjunction 2020
Great Conjunction 2020
PhD student Newlin Weatherford, who holds the Riedel Family Graduate Fellowship at CIERA, captured the Great Conjunction (“Christmas Star”) of Jupiter and Saturn on December 21, 2020 at 6:20 pm PT from Novato, California. Using his Panasonic DZ1000, Newlin wasn’t able to resolve Saturn’s rings, but we can see Callisto and Io and many faint
Newlin Weatherford, Northwestern CIERA
People
Core Faculty
Associate Faculty
Suzan van der Lee
Professor, Director of Graduate Studies, Director of Computing
Affiliate Faculty
Neal Blair
Professor, Joint Appointment in Civil & Environmental Engineering
Magdalena Osburn
Associate Professor, Curriculum Chair, and Seminar Coordinator
Postdocs
Graduate Students
