Abstract: Our current understanding of planet formation is informed by ongoing observations of circumstellar disks around young stars. The improving spatial resolution of these observations has revealed a variety of structures in these dusty gas disks, including gaps, spiral waves, warps, and lopsided distributions of dust particles. These observations are restricted to a single viewing geometry from Earth and by limited spatial resolution. Analogous structures are observed in Saturn’s rings with a multitude of viewing geometries and superb spatial resolution, thanks to the Cassini mission to Saturn. Thus, Saturn’s rings provide a unique laboratory to test our dynamical theories for structure formation in disks. A general overview of the dynamical state of Saturn’s rings as well as current efforts of model particular structures will be presented. As is often the case, the more detailed observations of Saturn’s rings have yielded many surprises that continue to challenge the dynamical modelers.
==========
Zoom Information
The zoom link for each seminar will be provided in emails from the FOM mailing list and the advertisement on the LASP website. To subscribe to the FOM mailing list, send an email to lasp-fom+subscribe@colorado.edu with an empty subject and body.
Visitor Information
Please be aware that the exterior SPSC building doors are generally kept locked. Any non-LASP seminar attendees should email Jem Averyt (jem.averyt@lasp.colorado.edu) in advance to make any necessary arrangements for building access.
For more info: https://lasp.colorado.edu/home/events-and-outreach
Address Info:
LASP – Space Science Building
SPSC-W120
3665 Discovery Drive, Boulder, CO 80303
Map: https://lasp.colorado.edu/home/maps/spsc-w120/
The Physics Frontiers Centers (PFC) program supports university-based centers and institutes where the collective efforts of a larger group of individuals can enable transformational advances in the most promising research areas. The program is designed to foster major breakthroughs at the intellectual frontiers of physics by providing needed resources such as combinations of talents, skills, disciplines, and/or specialized infrastructure, not usually available to individual investigators or small groups, in an environment in which the collective efforts of the larger group can be shown to be seminal to promoting significant progress in the science and the education of students. PFCs also include creative, substantive activities aimed at enhancing education, broadening participation of traditionally underrepresented groups, and outreach to the scientific community and general public.