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Jean-Luc Margot

Jean-Luc Margot (born 1969) is a Belgian-born astronomer and a UCLA professor with expertise in planetary sciences and SETI.

Jean-Luc Margot
Born1969 (age 54–55)
Leuven, Belgium
Alma materCornell University (PhD 1999)
Universite Catholique de Louvain (B.S. 1993)
AwardsH. C. Urey Prize
Scientific career
Fieldsplanetary physics, astrophysics
InstitutionsUCLA
Doctoral advisorDonald B. Campbell

Career

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Margot has discovered and studied several binary asteroids with radar and optical telescopes. His discoveries include (87) Sylvia I Romulus, (22) Kalliope I Linus, S/2003 (379) 1, (702) Alauda I Pichi üñëm, and the binary nature of (69230) Hermes.

In 2000, he obtained the first images of binary near-Earth asteroids and described formation of the binary by a spin-up process.[1][2] Margot and his research group have studied the influence of sunlight on the orbits and spins of asteroids, the Yarkovsky and YORP effects.[3][4][5]

In 2007, Margot and collaborators determined that Mercury has a molten core from the analysis of small variations in the rotation rate of the planet.[6][7] These observations also enabled a measurement of the size of the core based on a concept proposed by Stan Peale.[8][9]

In 2012, Margot and graduate student Julia Fang analyzed Kepler space telescope data to infer the architecture of planetary systems.[10] They described planetary systems as "flatter than pancakes."[11] They also showed that many planetary systems are dynamically packed.[12]

Margot proposed an extension to the IAU definition of planet that applies to exoplanets.[13][14]

Between 2006 and 2021, Margot and collaborators measured the spin of Venus with a radar speckle tracking technique. They measured the orientation and precession of the spin axis. They also measured the duration of the length of day and the amplitude of length-of-day variations, which they attribute to transfer of momentum between the atmosphere and the solid planet.[15][16]

Since 2016, he has conducted searches for technosignatures using large radio telescopes with UCLA students.[17][18] Volunteers can contribute to SETI through the "Are we alone in the universe?" citizen science collaboration.[19]

Honors and awards

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Margot was awarded the H. C. Urey Prize by the American Astronomical Society in 2004.[20] The asteroid 9531 Jean-Luc is named after him.[21]

References

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  1. ^ "Some Asteroids Have Astronomers Seeing Double". JPL press release. 11 April 2002. Archived from the original on 17 July 2012. Retrieved 10 November 2015.
  2. ^ Margot, Jean-Luc; et al. (2002). "Binary Asteroids in the Near-Earth Object Population". Science. 296 (5572): 1445–1448. Bibcode:2002Sci...296.1445M. doi:10.1126/science.1072094. PMID 11951001. S2CID 8768432.
  3. ^ "Prediction Proved: Light Speeds Up an Asteroid as it Spins". The New York Times. 13 March 2007.
  4. ^ Taylor, Patrick; et al. (2007). "Spin Rate of Asteroid (54509) 2000 PH5 Increasing due to the YORP Effect". Science. 316 (5822): 274–277. Bibcode:2007Sci...316..274T. doi:10.1126/science.1139038. PMID 17347415. S2CID 29191700..
  5. ^ Greenberg, Adam H.; Margot, Jean-Luc; Verma, Ashok K.; Taylor, Patrick A.; Hodge, Susan E. (7 February 2020). "Yarkovsky Drift Detections for 247 Near-Earth Asteroids". The Astronomical Journal. 159 (3): 92. arXiv:1708.05513. Bibcode:2020AJ....159...92G. doi:10.3847/1538-3881/ab62a3. S2CID 119502545.
  6. ^ "Mercury's spin reveals molten, not solid core". Reuters. 3 May 2007.
  7. ^ Margot, Jean-Luc; et al. (2007). "Large longitude libration of Mercury reveals a molten core". Science. 316 (5825): 710–714. Bibcode:2007Sci...316..710M. doi:10.1126/science.1140514. PMID 17478713. S2CID 8863681.
  8. ^ Peale, S. J. (1976). "Does Mercury have a molten core?". Nature. 262 (5571): 765–766. Bibcode:1976Natur.262..765P. doi:10.1038/262765a0. S2CID 4210179.
  9. ^ Margot, Jean-Luc; et al. (2012). "Mercury's moment of inertia from spin and gravity data". Journal of Geophysical Research. 117: n/a. Bibcode:2012JGRE..117.0L09M. doi:10.1029/2012JE004161.
  10. ^ Fang, Julia; Margot, Jean-Luc (2012). "Architecture of Planetary Systems Based on Kepler Data: Number of Planets and Coplanarity". The Astrophysical Journal. 761 (2): 92. arXiv:1207.5250. Bibcode:2012ApJ...761...92F. doi:10.1088/0004-637X/761/2/92. ISSN 0004-637X. S2CID 20234144.
  11. ^ "Most Alien Solar Systems Are 'Flatter Than Pancakes'". Space.com. 15 October 2012.
  12. ^ Fang, Julia; Margot, Jean-Luc (2013). "Are Planetary Systems Filled to Capacity? A Study Based on Kepler Results". The Astrophysical Journal. 767 (2): 115. arXiv:1302.7190. Bibcode:2013ApJ...767..115F. doi:10.1088/0004-637X/767/2/115. ISSN 0004-637X. S2CID 53706876.
  13. ^ "Why we need a new definition of the word 'planet'". Los Angeles Times. 14 November 2015.
  14. ^ Margot, Jean-Luc (1 December 2015). "A Quantitative Criterion for Defining Planets". The Astronomical Journal. 150 (6): 185. arXiv:1507.06300. Bibcode:2015AJ....150..185M. doi:10.1088/0004-6256/150/6/185. S2CID 51684830.
  15. ^ Crockett, Christopher. "How long is a day on Venus? Scientists crack mysteries of our closest neighbor". phys.org.
  16. ^ Margot, Jean-Luc; Campbell, Donald B.; Giorgini, Jon D.; Jao, Joseph S.; Snedeker, Lawrence G.; Ghigo, Frank D.; Bonsall, Amber (July 2021). "Spin state and moment of inertia of Venus". Nature Astronomy. 5 (7): 676–683. arXiv:2103.01504. Bibcode:2021NatAs...5..676M. doi:10.1038/s41550-021-01339-7. S2CID 232092194.
  17. ^ "Researchers Just Scanned 14 Worlds From the Kepler Mission for "Technosignatures", Evidence of Advanced Civilizations". Universe Today. 15 February 2018.
  18. ^ Margot, Jean-Luc; Li, Megan G.; Pinchuk, Pavlo; Myhrvold, Nathan; Lesyna, Larry; et al. (1 November 2023). "A Search for Technosignatures Around 11,680 Stars with the Green Bank Telescope at 1.15–1.73 GHz". The Astronomical Journal. 166 (5): 206. arXiv:2308.02712. Bibcode:2023AJ....166..206M. doi:10.3847/1538-3881/acfda4.
  19. ^ "UCLA is asking for the public's help in finding signs of extraterrestrial intelligence". Los Angeles Times. 15 February 2023.
  20. ^ "Harold C. Urey Prize in Planetary Science". Division of Planetary Sciences of the American Astronomical Society. Retrieved 11 December 2021.
  21. ^ "Small Body Orbital Elements 9531 Jean-Luc (1981 QK)". JPL. Retrieved 11 December 2021.
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