General Seminar: Dr. John Wisniewski
Speakers
Wisniewski is interested in studying circumstellar disks. Circumstellar disks are ubiquitous throughout all stages of stellar evolution for all masses of stars: they guide the accretion of matter in star formation, serve as the birthplace of planets and may influence the subsequent migration of these bodies, and shape stellar outflows in later stages of stellar evolution. He uses multi-wavelength observational techniques, using ground- and space-based facilities, to investigate the structure, evolution, and origin of circumstellar disks.
TwitterAlycia Weinberger is an observational astronomer interested in planet formation, exoplanets, and brown dwarfs. Her expertise includes high contrast/high spatial resolution imaging, infrared spectroscopy, astrometry, and instrumentation. She explores the early history of planets and how they interact with their natal environment, the circumstellar disk. She studies how material is distributed in disks, how disks dissipate, and how the compositions of disks may translate into those of planets.
BioTitle:
Using High-Precision Photometry to Constrain Stellar Activity
Abstract:
The advent of high precision, high cadence space-based photometric missions like Kepler (K2) and TESS have revolutionized our understanding of transiting planetary systems. These missions have also enabled a wealth of stellar and extragalactic astrophysics to be explored on topics such as asteroseismology, young circumstellar disk systems, eclipsing binary stars, Be stars, SN, TDEs, and stellar activity. In this talk, Dr. Wisniewski will discuss some of his group's work to characterize various flavors of stellar activity on low-mass stars. In particular, Wisniewski will highlight his group's efforts to use high-precision photometry to better understand surface features on low-mass stars. Wisniewski will also highlight their efforts to develop and utilize high-precision ground-based photometric instrumentation, namely engineered diffusers, to aid their use of space-based facilities.
Post-Seminar Meetings:
Carnegie scientists and staff are encouraged to stick around after the talk for lunch with the speaker. Reach out to this week's host Alycia Weinberger to schedule one-on-one meetings with the speaker.
Join the Zoom meeting
