Colloq Abstract -Butler

Feb 24

11am Mountain

Bryan Butler (NRAO)

Observations of Solar System Bodies with the VLA and ALMA

Abstract

Observations of solar system bodies at wavelengths from submm to meter wavelengths provide important and unique information about those bodies. Such observations probe to depths unreachable at other wavelengths – typically of order 10-20 wavelengths for bodies with solid surfaces, and as deep as tens of bars for those with thick atmospheres (the giant planets). In the past five years,
the VLA and ALMA have revolutionized the ability to make very sensitive, highresolution observations at these wavelengths. I will present a discussion of results
over the past five years from observations from both the VLA and ALMA. These include observations of the atmospheres of all of the giant planets, the rings of
Saturn, and the surfaces of many icy bodies in the outer solar system.

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