Abstract:

Among the 4000 exoplanets confirmed since the year of 1992, most of them are orbiting low-mass M dwarfs. About 20 of them may have rocky compositions and meanwhile in the habitable zone within which the planetary surface is temperate to maintain liquid water. These planets are likely in tidally locked orbits with permanent dayside and nightside due to the effect of strong tidal forces. In this talk, I will present recent understanding on the climate and habitability of tidally locked planets, based on the simulation results of 3-D planetary global climate models. I will focus on the effects of clouds near the inner edge of the habitable zone, oceanic heat transport in the middle region of the habitable zone, and sea ice flows in the outer ranges of the habitable zone.

Speaker: Prof. Jun Yang, School of Physics, Peking University

Date: 18 October, 15:30-16:30 at Mishima Hall (ELSI-1)

Host: Ramses Ramirez