Astronomy
Exoplanets and Astrobiology flashcards
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- What is meant by “Exoplanet” in this lesson?Detecting Exoplanets
- An exoplanet is a planet beyond the Solar System.
- What is meant by “Transit method” in this lesson?Detecting Exoplanets
- A transit method detects recurring dimming when a planet crosses a star's disk along our sightline.
- What is meant by “Radial-velocity method” in this lesson?Detecting Exoplanets
- Radial-velocity measurements detect stellar line-of-sight motion influenced by orbiting companions.
- What is meant by “Direct imaging” in this lesson?Detecting Exoplanets
- Direct imaging separates detectable planet light from much brighter stellar light under suitable conditions.
- What is meant by “Microlensing” in this lesson?Detecting Exoplanets
- Microlensing detects gravitational amplification patterns that can reveal a planetary companion.
- What is meant by “Detection bias” in this lesson?Detecting Exoplanets
- Bias makes some planet types or orientations easier to detect than others.
- What is meant by “Transit depth” in this lesson?Inferring Exoplanet Properties
- Transit depth is the fractional dimming and approximately relates to area ratio under simplifying assumptions.
- What is meant by “Planetary mass estimate” in this lesson?Inferring Exoplanet Properties
- A mass estimate depends on the measurement method and geometric assumptions.
- What is meant by “Bulk density” in this lesson?Inferring Exoplanet Properties
- Bulk density is mass divided by total volume.
- What is meant by “Atmospheric spectrum” in this lesson?Inferring Exoplanet Properties
- An atmospheric spectrum can constrain constituents and conditions with model-dependent ambiguities.
- What is meant by “Degeneracy” in this lesson?Inferring Exoplanet Properties
- Degeneracy occurs when different parameter combinations fit similar observations.
- What is meant by “Parameter uncertainty” in this lesson?Inferring Exoplanet Properties
- Uncertainty reflects measurement and model limits in derived properties.
- What is meant by “Habitable zone” in this lesson?Habitability and Evidence of Life
- A habitable zone describes distances where surface liquid water may be possible under stated assumptions.
- What is meant by “Habitability” in this lesson?Habitability and Evidence of Life
- Habitability concerns conditions potentially supporting life of the type considered.
- What is meant by “Biosignature” in this lesson?Habitability and Evidence of Life
- A biosignature is potential evidence of life requiring evaluation of nonbiological explanations.
- What is meant by “False positive” in this lesson?Habitability and Evidence of Life
- A false positive mimics a sought signal without the proposed cause.
- What is meant by “Astrobiology” in this lesson?Habitability and Evidence of Life
- Astrobiology studies life's origins, distribution, and possible conditions beyond Earth.
- What is meant by “Evidence threshold” in this lesson?Habitability and Evidence of Life
- A threshold specifies the evidence needed to support a claim.