Abstract: While they make up a small fraction of the material in the heliosphere, measurements of elements heavier than helium can reveal critical information about their origin from the Sun, planets, small solar system bodies, and the interstellar medium. These measurements also inform us about the processes involved in particle acceleration and transport throughout the solar system.
JWST is the successor to the Hubble Space Telescope and is 100 times more powerful. It is 7 tons of fragile hardware operating in the Near and Mid Infrared wavelengths. The amazing images of our universe captured by JWST required many engineering feats. In her talk, Ms. Simmons describes several engineering extremes and the science that drove them.
Abstract: Watkins will share highlights from her recent 170 days of living and
working aboard the International Space Station, her path to space, and
her perspective on the role of geology in space exploration.
Abstract: We are entering the golden age of multi-wavelength astronomical surveys. In the 2020s, a plethora of multi-band surveys (such as Rubin-LSST, DESI, Simons Observatory, CMB-S4, and eROSITA, to name a few) are underway or planned to provide unprecedented insights into the cosmic structure formation and the fundamental physics of the cosmos. One of the key challenges of this cosmic frontier lies in understanding the halo-galaxy-gas connection and the roles of still poorly understood galaxy formation physics and its impact on cosmology.
