Planetary Climate

尼古拉斯·考恩教授研究行星气候，这是宇宙中最复杂的物理系统之一。他的跨学科小组使用尖端望远镜观察围绕其他恒星运行的各种行星。值得注意的是，他们对系外行星气候的研究经常借鉴地球和太阳系的知识。他是世界上使用哈勃和斯皮策太空望远镜研究热木星的领导者，热木星是围绕其主星运行几天的气体巨星。詹姆斯韦伯太空望远镜将允许考恩将这些研究扩展到更小、更冷的行星，包括围绕红矮星附近的温带类地行星，这些行星可能适合居住。

Prof. Nicolas Cowan studies planetary climate, among the most complex physical systems in the Universe. His interdisciplinary group uses cutting-edge telescopes to observe diverse planets orbiting other stars. Notably, their investigations of exoplanet climate often draw on knowledge of Earth and Solar System worlds. He is a world leader in using the Hubble and Spitzer space telescopes to study hot Jupiters, gas giants orbiting their host star in a matter of days. The James Webb space telescope will allow Cowan to extend these studies to smaller and cooler planets, including temperate terrestrialpotentially habitableplanets orbiting nearby red dwarf stars.