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SUMMARY:The Search for Life Beyond the Solar System [IIA Colloquium]
DTSTART:20260402T060000Z
DTEND:20260402T070000Z
DTSTAMP:20260415T005900Z
UID:indico-event-428@events.iiap.res.in
CONTACT:colloqm@iiap.res.in
DESCRIPTION:Speakers: Nikku Madhusudhan (Institute of Astronomy\, Universi
 ty of Cambridge\, UK.)\n\nAbstract: The search for life elsewhere is one 
 of the major frontiers of modern science. Numerous efforts are underway to
  detect habitable exoplanets orbiting nearby stars and to characterise the
 ir atmospheres  using current and upcoming large telescopes\, including t
 he James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). The detection of atmospheric signatu
 res of habitable Earth-like exoplanets is challenging due to their small p
 lanet-star size contrast and thin atmospheres with high mean molecular wei
 ght. A new class of habitable exoplanets\, called Hyceanworlds\, promises 
 to expand and accelerate the search for planetary habitability and life el
 sewhere. Hycean planets are expected to be temperate ocean-covered worlds 
 with H2-rich atmospheres. Their large sizes and extended atmospheres\, com
 pared to rocky planets of similar mass\, make Hycean worlds significantly 
 more accessible to atmospheric spectroscopy. Several candidate Hycean worl
 ds have been identified orbiting nearby M dwarf stars\, making them highly
  conducive for transmission spectroscopy with JWST. Recently\, the first J
 WST spectra have been reported for several Hycean candidates\, leading to 
 detections of multiple carbon-bearing molecules in their atmospheres\, wit
 h important implications for their atmospheric\, interior and surface cond
 itions. These results are opening a promising new avenue in the search for
  life elsewhere. We will discuss recent observational and theoretical deve
 lopments in the exploration of habitable exoplanets\, including candidate 
 Hycean worlds\, as well as future prospects in the search for habitability
  and life beyond the solar system.\n\nhttps://events.iiap.res.in/event/428
 /
LOCATION:Auditorium
URL:https://events.iiap.res.in/event/428/
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