Gregg Hallinan - Chasing Extrasolar Space Weather

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The Earth's magnetic field protects its atmosphere from the solar wind, particularly during explosive events known as coronal mass ejections. Similar magnetic fields may be crucial in defining the habitability of exoplanets, particularly when their host stars are young and very magnetically active.

Hallinan's presentation will focus on his group's efforts to detect such extrasolar space weather on nearby stars, including both the intense emissions produced by stars during flares and coronal mass ejections and the  aurora produced by planets when they experience extreme geomagnetic storms. A new radio telescope at Caltech's Owens Valley Radio Observatory plays a key role in this effort by imaging the entire viewable sky every few seconds in the search for the signatures of these events.

Gregg Hallinan is an assistant professor of astronomy at Caltech.

This is a free event; no tickets or reservations are required.

Reserved section tickets are available to members of the Friends of Beckman Auditorium and the Caltech Associates.

Presented by: Caltech Committee on Institute Programs