The demographics of exoplanets with gravitational microlensing
Prof. B. Scott Gaudi
Thomas Jefferson Professor for Discovery and Space Exploration, University Distinguished Scholar
Department of Astronomy
The Ohio State University
Measurements of the demographics of exoplanets over a range of planet and host star properties provide fundamental empirical constraints on theories of planet formation and evolution. I will discuss various efforts to measure and synthesize exoplanet demographics over broad regions of parameter space. Because of its unique sensitivity to low-mass, long-period, and free-floating planets, microlensing is an essential complement to our arsenal of planet detection methods. I motivate, and provide expectations for, a microlensing survey with the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, which when combined with the results from Kepler, will yield a nearly complete picture of the demographics of planetary systems throughout the Galaxy.
Hosted by Prof. Lauren Weiss