Page with information on ENAA XXXI.
Invited Contributions
You can find in this page the list of people with invited contributions to this conference.
Confirmed speakers:
- Catarina Alves de Oliveira (ESA)
JWST: from launch to Cycle 1 science
This contribution will provide a quick overview of the launch and initial phases of JWST, including the series of deployments that will have to be performed before JWST arrives at its second Lagrangian point halo orbit, and the Commissioning activities that will make it ready to enter regular operations and begin execution of the Cycle 1 Science Program 6 months after. I will also provide an overview of the accepted JWST Cycle 1 Science Program, the observations that are expected to revolutionize our understanding of astronomy.
Solar & Stellar Physics -- Planetary Science & Extrasolar Planets -- Galactic & Extragalactic Astronomy -- Astronomical Instrumentation
Solar & Stellar Physics -- Planetary Science & Extrasolar Planets -- Galactic & Extragalactic Astronomy -- Astronomical Instrumentation
- Clara Sousa-Silva (Harvard-Smithsonian)
Finding an Alien Biosphere with Computational Chemistry
At the edge of our present scientific frontier lies the question: “Can we identify the signs of life on an exoplanet?“. Establishing whether a planet is habitable, or inhabited, relies both on the observation of an exoplanet atmosphere and, crucially, its subsequent interpretation. This interpretation requires knowledge of the spectral behavior of every significant atmospheric molecule. However, though thousands of molecular candidates can contribute towards the spectrum of an atmosphere, data exist for only a few hundred gases. Among these, only a fraction have complete spectra (e.g. ammonia, water). This deep incompleteness in the knowledge of molecular spectra presents a pressing vulnerability in the atmospheric study of planets; there exists a strong possibility of mis-assignment, false positives, and false negatives in the detection of molecules.
The work presented in this talk combines structural organic chemistry and quantum mechanics to obtain the necessary tools for the interpretation of astrophysical spectra and, ultimately, the detection of life on an exoplanet. Whether alien life will produce familiar gases (e.g., oxygen) or exotic biosignatures (e.g., phosphine), painting a confident picture of a potential biosphere will require a holistic interpretation of an atmosphere and its molecules. In this talk Clara will describe ongoing efforts to train the next generation of scientists to decipher exoplanet atmospheres, and ultimately to detect a biosphere through the identification of volatile molecules, in particular those that might be produced by non-Earth-like life.
Astrobiology -- Astrochemistry -- Planetary Science & Extrasolar Planets
The work presented in this talk combines structural organic chemistry and quantum mechanics to obtain the necessary tools for the interpretation of astrophysical spectra and, ultimately, the detection of life on an exoplanet. Whether alien life will produce familiar gases (e.g., oxygen) or exotic biosignatures (e.g., phosphine), painting a confident picture of a potential biosphere will require a holistic interpretation of an atmosphere and its molecules. In this talk Clara will describe ongoing efforts to train the next generation of scientists to decipher exoplanet atmospheres, and ultimately to detect a biosphere through the identification of volatile molecules, in particular those that might be produced by non-Earth-like life.
Astrobiology -- Astrochemistry -- Planetary Science & Extrasolar Planets