周一凡 (University of Virginia)
Abstract:
The James Webb Space Telescope is transforming our understanding of exoplanet origins and physical properties. High-quality JWST observations provide unprecedented constraints on gas giant atmospheres and formation processes. I will present results from our observational programs targeting gas giants across diverse evolutionary stages. Our sample spans actively forming protoplanets in young systems to mature planets orbiting white dwarf stars. These observations trace the full evolutionary arc of planetary systems. By highlighting new physical insights enabled by JWST's capabilities, I hope to use this talk to start a discussion with the audience and identify opportunities for future collaborative work.
Biography: Yifan Zhou has been an assistant professor at the University of Virginia since 2023. His primary research interest is to develop new observing techniques to trace the planet formation and characterize planetary atmospheres. He got his PhD from the University of Arizona in 2019. Before joining the University of Virginia, he was a 51 Pegasi b fellow and a Harlan J. Smith fellow at the University of Texas at Austin.
