CAREER: Prospecting for planets

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CAREER: Prospecting for planetsAbstractAST-0645416PI: Eric AgolDr. Agol will work to develop three novel techniques for detecting and characterizing extrasolar planets around other stars: (1) the timing of eclipses by giant planets to detect terrestrial-mass planets; (2) finding a much larger sample of extrasolar planets with multi-object radial velocity surveys and using these for transit timing, detection of thermal emission, and statistical characterization of extrasolar planet properties; (3) a feasibility and optimization study of direct imaging of extrasolar planets with coronagraphic telescopes. This work will further our understanding of the distribution of types of planets and their host stars, the diversity of planet properties,constrain the formation mechanism of other planetary systems, and possibly shed light on the formation of our own solar system.Dr. Agol will incorporate students from the University of Washington Astronomy Department's Pre-major in Astronomy Program (Pre-MAP) into this research program. Pre-MAP is a program to attract and retain traditionally underrepresented students to astronomy and science, technology, engineering, and math majors (STEM). Dr. Agol will oversee the program, recruit students, and supervise student research as part of his role as the faculty director of the program. Dr. Agol will also help in replicating this program in other STEM departments (at the University of Washington) and will expand the program to include community-college transfer students.This award is funded by the NSF Division of Astronomical Sciences