- Tue Sep 26 (room reservation 13:00 JST [=UTC+09:00]), ELSI-1 205 Seminar Room A [Seminar] MHD seminar - Wed Sep 27 (room reservation 11:00 JST [=UTC+09:00]), ELSI-1 105 Mishima Hall [Seminar] Special Seminar: Estelle Janin, Arizona State University Title: Assembly of Planetary Atmospheres: A Complex Systems Approach to the Search for Extraterrestrial Life Abstract: During this talk, I will give a brief overview of the history of biosignature science and describe the current conceptual status of the field. In this context, I will introduce a new measure of complexity called Assembly Theory, which provides a unique approach on information, evolution and selection – with the aim of developing a new, agnostic framework for unambiguous life detection on exoplanets. The goal of this framework is to provide a theoretically consistent ground for data interpretation in exoplanet science, useful in any chemical space, and allowing to generate and test hypotheses specifically related to the presence of a biosphere. The objects we consider are graphical representations of planetary atmospheres, coupled to exoplanet atmospheric models. I will explain how Assembly Theory can be used to characterize the complexity of these atmospheres and the combinatorial path(s) that led to them. These preliminary results are the first step towards classifying a large sample of exoplanets according to the behaviour of their atmosphere in Assembly Space, with the hope of motivating new research strategies and informing target decision for current and future observatories. Short biography: After completing a degree in Astrophysics and Molecular Biology at University College London, Estelle Janin started her PhD in Astrophysics at Arizona State University, under the supervision of Prof. Sara Walker. Her work focuses on developing new concepts to think about life, its universal properties and the ways to detect it in the universe – especially from the lens of complexity science. She is also involved in SETI research and likes to think about universal properties of language and extraterrestrial communication. Host: Harrison Smith - Wed Sep 27 (room reservation 16:00 JST [=UTC+09:00]), ELSI-1 105 Mishima Hall [Seminar] ELSI Seminar - Yuichi Ito Our weekly event for all ELSI members. Yuichi Ito (NAOJ) Atmospheres of super-Earths/sub-Neptunes with magma ocean - Fri Sep 29 (room reservation 14:00 JST [=UTC+09:00]), ELSI-1 205 Seminar Room A [Seminar] Magma Oceans Seminar - Slava Solomatov Magma Oceans is a study group that connects planet formation to planet evolution, including accretion, impacts, early Earth conditions, atmosphere-interior exchange, planet dynamics and composition, and most things having to do with planets. This meeting is open to all ELSI members and visitors, please join as often as you are able.