Seminar by
Prof. Webster Cash,
University of Colorado, Boulder
Abstract: I will present the concept of the New Worlds Observer. The mission features a conventional quality telescope in space with a starshade occulter (~50m diameter) stationed about 50,000km away along the line of sight to a nearby star. Diffraction around the starshade is suppressed to very high levels by means of a newly developed apodizing shape. Simulations show that planetary systems can be mapped in detail and Earth-like planets iden-tified to distances greater than 10pc.
Spectroscopy of the planets will enable the identification and study of water planets. As such, it has a realistic chance of finding evidence of life in other star systems. The New Worlds Ob-server uses only existing technologies. It has significantly lower cost, risk and schedule than the other approaches being studied for the finding of planets.
Biography: Professor & Chair-elect, Department of Astrophysical and Planetary Sciences
Director, Center for Astrophysics and Space Astronomy
University of Colorado, Boulder
Education:
Ph.D. Physics 1977 University of California, Berkeley
B.S. Physics 1973 Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Research Interests:
Design, fabrication, and use of space instrumentation for astronomy in the visible, ultraviolet and x-ray bands. Current concentration is in development of new techniques for imaging and spectroscopy in the x-ray and direct observation of exoplanets in the visible.
Over 125 Publications
6 Patents Held