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Centro de Astrofísica da Universidade do Porto
Characterization of planetary atmospheres

Pedro Machado
IA

Abstract
It will be presented tools for unveiling the dynamics and composition of planetary atmospheres. Taking advantage of high-resolution spectra of back-scattered stellar radiation on planetary atmospheres, one could retrieve wind velocity fields using high-resolution spectroscopy (Doppler velocimetry). I will present research protocols and their related results in the case of long slit spectroscopy (VLT/UVES) and fibre-fed spectroscopy (CFHT/ESPaDOnS). It is also possible to track the temporal evolution of cloud features in order to derive wind velocities. It will be presented results from space-based coordinated observations and ground-based ones using cloud tracking methods. I also intend to show the process used in order to produce synthetic spectra to test the robustness and reliability of the used spectroscopy techniques. Finally, it will be presented a case study of a Solar System planetary transit (Venus) as an effective experiment for atmospheric research studies.

17 March 2016, 13:30

Centro de Astrofísica
Rua das Estrelas
4150-762 Porto

Institute of Astrophysics and Space Sciences

Institute of Astrophysics and Space Sciences (IA) is a new but long anticipated research infrastructure with a national dimension. It embodies a bold but feasible vision for the development of Astronomy, Astrophysics and Space Sciences in Portugal, taking full advantage and fully realizing the potential created by the national membership of the European Space Agency (ESA) and the European Southern Observatory (ESO). IA resulted from the merging the two most prominent research units in the field in Portugal: the Centre for Astrophysics of the University of Porto (CAUP) and the Center for Astronomy and Astrophysics of the University of Lisbon (CAAUL). It currently hosts more than two-thirds of all active researchers working in Space Sciences in Portugal, and is responsible for an even greater fraction of the national productivity in international ISI journals in the area of Space Sciences. This is the scientific area with the highest relative impact factor (1.65 times above the international average) and the field with the highest average number of citations per article for Portugal.

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