Stars, Planets, and ISM Seminar

The JWST revolution is well and truly underway for the study of exoplanets and their atmospheres. In the nearly four years since the start of science operations, JWST has facilitated a number of foundational discoveries, reshaping how we view exoplanets ranging from hot-Jupiters, planets similar in size to Jupiter but that orbit their host stars closer than Mercury does to our Sun; to sub-Neptunes, an enigmatic class of planet with no analogue in the solar system. However, if we truly want to uncover the physical and chemical processes that underpin planet formation and evolution, studies of individual planets are insufficient — a holistic, population-level approach is needed. Fortunately, we are now reaching the point where a critical mass of exoplanets have high-precision JWST atmosphere observations to allow for population-level studies. In this talk, I will present work that I am doing to transition the field away from analyses of individual benchmark targets and towards holistic studies of entire subpopulations, with particular emphasis on Neptune-mass and smaller exoplanets for which precise atmosphere studies are now possible for the first time with JWST. 

I will discuss how JWST studies as well as complementary ground-based observations can be combined to constrain the origins of exo-Neptunes and provide concrete tests for evolutionary theories like high-eccentricity migration. I will also outline ways in which exo-Neptune analogues can be leveraged to facilitate the interpretation of the atmospheric spectra of temperate sub-Neptunes — planets which may yet prove to be some of the most promising candidates for habitability. Finally, I will look forward to upcoming revolutions in exoplanetary science, catalyzed by next-generation observatories like Ariel and the GMT which promise to turbocharge comparative exoplanetology and bring us another step closer to understanding the origins of the diversity of exoplanets and, ultimately, the place of our solar system in the broader galactic context.