B2138 - EXOPLANETS: FORMATION, POPULATIONS, AND ATMOSPHERES

Learning outcomes

The aim of the course is to provide the student with the fundamental knowledge of the properties of planetary bodies, in our own Solar System and around other stars. The students will understand the current thinking on the origin and diversity of planets and their atmospheres. The techniques to detect planets, derive their properties, as well as the current and future possibilities to study their atmospheres will be covered. Understanding the atmospheres of other planets in the Solar System and of exoplanets will allow the student to place the Earth and its evolution in a broader cosmic context.

Course contents

The course will cover the following topics:

1- Exoplanets populations

- Exoplanets detection methods and associated biases

- Exoplanets families and statistics

- Comparison between exoplanets and Solar System Planets

2- Exoplanets physical properties

- Introductions to rocky planets and giant planets

- Exoplanets physical properties

- Exoplanets atmospheres

- Comparison between physical properties of exoplanets and Solar System Planets

3- Planet formation

- Introduction to star and planet formation

- Protoplanetary disks and their evolution

- Chemical and physical properties of protoplanetary disks

- Formation of rocky planets

- Formation of gas giants

- Disk-planet interactions and planetary systems archietectures

- The origin of the Solar System and of the exoplanets diversity

4 - Introduction to habitability and biosignatures

- Basic introduction to the concept of habitability

- Definition, goals and prospects for detecting biosignatures

Readings/Bibliography

a) Good reference book for most of the topics:

de pater and Lissauer, Planetary Sciences,Cambridge University Press

b) Annotated power point slides, notes and research papers discussed in class.

c) Journal Club papers

All are available through the DIFA/UniBo library system and on the UniBo electronic platform for the course on Virtuale.

Teaching methods

Conventional lectures, seminars, and discussion of topical research papers.

The seminars from guest researchers (2 or 3 events during the course) will allow the student to learn current research activities on advanced topics: planet detection via direct imaging, measuring chemical composition of planetary atmospheres, astrochemistry and complex organic molecules.

Students will be requested to give one presentation on a research paper during the course. The work will be done in groups of two, under the guidance of the instructor, and presented to the whole class. This is intended to teach how to read a scientific paper and present its content to other researchers.

Up to two lectures will take place in other departments of the University, to learn some of the key itnerdisciplinary methods used in Planetary Sciences: laboratory spectroscopy and the analysis of meteorites as fossil records of the Solar System formation.

Assessment methods

30% - Presentation and discussion of a research paper on one of the topics of the course in class “Journal Club” style. This part is done during the class work, in groups of two, and the students will demostrate the ability to work in group, understand a research paper and communicate concisely and effectively its content.

30% - Presentation on a small analysis project or on a research paper with 5-8 page written summary or power point presentation. This part is prepared by the student before the final exam, the presentation of this part at the final exam will test the ability of the student to execute the work autonomously and to present it in a concise and effective way.

40% - Discussion on additional questions on the general content of the course. This part will test the knowledge acquired by the student on the topics of the course.

Overall the scope of the final is to verify the ability of the student to apply the knowledge acquired and to understand the physical connection between the topics. In this course it is especially important to understand the connection between what can be observed at the telescope and the physical quantities that can be derived.

Limited knowledge on the course topics, inability to concisely expose topics, in some occasion the help of the examiner is required to expose topics in the correct language and terminology -> 18-19

Limited knowledge on some course topics, good knowledge on others, ability to concisely and effectively present topics, correct use of language and terminology, limited help from the examiner -> 20-24

Good knowlege of all course topics, good ability to concisely and effectively present topics, correct use of language and terminology, no help from the examiner -> 25-29

Excellent knowlege of all course topics, ability to concisely and effectively present, and language and terminology, ability to make connections and reason on how to apply the knowledge across topics -> 30-30L

Following the decision of the CdS on Astrophysics and Cosmology, students that pass the final examination will be allowed to repeat the final a maximum of three times (each attempt will be no less than four weeks from the previous one).

Teaching tools

Conventional lectures with power point, book, lecture notes.

Seminars.

Research papers.

Field trips to labs and UniBo meteorite collection.

Office hours

See the website of Leonardo Testi