NBIA Colloquia by Ravit Helled (University of Zurich)

We would like to invite you to our next (Zoom) NBIA Colloquia this fall on

                          Friday, Nov 13 at 3:15 PM

Speaker: Ravit Helled (University of Zurich)

Title: Revealing the Mysteries of Giant Planets

Abstract:
Planets are common astronomical objects. Gas giant planets, which are massive planets made of mostly hydrogen and helium, are the first planets to form, and due to their large masses they affect the dynamical evolution of young planetary systems. In addition, giant planet composition reveals key information on the birth environment of planets.   In this talk I will briefly summarise giant planet formation, evolution, and interior models. I will show that giant planets are complex objects that can have composition gradients and fuzzy cores, and that their internal structure and evolution depend on their growth history.  I will also present new structure models of Jupiter that fit the planet’s gravity data as measured by the NASA Juno mission, and explain how they reveal information on Jupiter's origin and evolution.   

Finally, I will discuss the connection between recent developments in giant planet theory and high-pressure physics as well as the characterisation of giant planets around other stars.  

Bio-sketch:
Ravit Helled is a Planetary Scientist and a Professor for Theoretical Astrophysics at the Institute for Computational Science, Center for Theoretical Astrophysics & Cosmology, University of Zurich. Prof. Helled has received her PhD in 2008 from Tel-Aviv University. She has been a postdoc and a research scientist at the University of California, Los Angeles (2007-2011), and then an assistant/associate professor at Tel Aviv University (2011-2016) until she moved to Switzerland in 2016.   Her scientific work concentrates on planet formation and evolution, planetary interiors, and extrasolar planets. 

Prof. Helled has published scientific papers on various topics, is a frequent invited speaker in international conferences, and often serves as a reviewer in committees and science panels. She is the leader of the Academic Platform of the NCCR-PlanetS, is strongly involved in Space exploration, and is a science team member of various ESA and NASA space missions.

To participate on Friday, click on

https://ucph-ku.zoom.us/s/61333932427

The colloquium will be moderated by Mauricio Bustamante and we strongly encourage you to participate actively by asking questions during the talk. Mauricio will briefly remind you how this can be done just before the colloquium starts.