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Esposito, Larry W

Professor

Positions

Research Areas research areas

Research

research overview

  • Prof. Esposito is involved with US, European and Russian space missions. His expertise is in planetary atmospheres, planetary rings and numerical methods for radiation transfer and ring evolution.

keywords

  • Planetary rings and atmospheres

Publications

selected publications

Teaching

courses taught

  • ASTR 2040 - The Search for Life in the Universe
    Primary Instructor - Fall 2022 / Fall 2024
    Introduces the scientific basis for the possible existence of life elsewhere in the universe. Includes origin and evolution of life on Earth and the search for evidence of life in our solar system, including Mars and Jupiter's moon Europa. Discusses the conditions necessary for life and whether they might arise on planets around other stars. Credit only for this course or ASTR 3300. Same as GEOL 2040.
  • ASTR 3720 - Planets and Their Atmospheres
    Primary Instructor - Spring 2022
    Explores the physics and chemistry of the atmospheres of Mars, Venus, Jupiter, Saturn, and Titan. Examines evolution of the atmospheres of Earth, Venus, and Mars; and the escape of gases from the Galilean satellites, Titan and Mars; the orbital characteristics of moons, planets, and comets. Uses recent results of space exploration. Elective for APS major and minor. Same as ATOC 3720.
  • ASTR 3750 - Planets, Moons, and Rings
    Primary Instructor - Fall 2018 / Fall 2019
    Approaches the physics of planets, emphasizing their surfaces, satellites, and rings. Topics include formation and evolution of planetary surfaces, history of the terrestrial planets, and dynamics of planetary rings. This course and ASTR 3720 may be taken for credit in any order. Elective for APS major and minor.
  • ASTR 4800 - Space Science: Practice and Policy
    Primary Instructor - Spring 2018 / Spring 2019 / Spring 2020 / Fall 2020 / Spring 2023 / Fall 2023
    Exposes students to current controversies in science that illustrate the scientific method and the interplay of observation, theory, and science policy. Students research and debate both sides of the issues, which include strategies and spin-offs of space exploration, funding of science, big vs. small science, and scientific heresy and fraud. Recommended prerequisite: one year of college level astronomy or physics.
  • ASTR 5810 - Planetary Atmospheres
    Primary Instructor - Spring 2024
    Covers the structure, composition, and dynamics of planetary atmospheres. Also includes origin of planetary atmospheres, chemistry and cloud physics, greenhouse effects, climate, and the evolution of planetary atmospheres past and future.
  • ASTR 5830 - Topics in Planetary Science
    Primary Instructor - Spring 2021
    Examines current topics in planetary science, based on recent discoveries, spacecraft observations and other developments. Focuses on a specific topic each time the course is offered, such as Mars, Venus, Galilean satellites, exobiology, comets or extrasolar planets. Department enforced prerequisite: restricted to graduate students in the physical sciences. May be repeated up to 9 total credit hours, provided the topics vary. Same as ATOC 5830 and GEOL 5830.
  • ASTR 5835 - Seminar in Planetary Science
    Primary Instructor - Spring 2021 / Fall 2022 / Spring 2024 / Fall 2024
    Studies current research on a topic in planetary science. Students and faculty give presentations. Subjects may vary each semester. May be repeated up to 4 total credit hours to meet candidacy requirements. Department enforced prerequisite: senior level undergraduate physics. Same as ATOC 5835 and GEOL 5835.
  • ATOC 3720 - Planets and Their Atmospheres
    Primary Instructor - Spring 2022
    Explores the physics and chemistry of the atmospheres of Mars, Venus, Jupiter, Saturn, and Titan. Examines evolution of the atmospheres of Earth, Venus, and Mars; and the escape of gases from the Galilean satellites, Titan and Mars; the orbital characteristics of moons, planets, and comets. Uses recent results of space exploration. Elective for APS major and minor. Same as ASTR 3720.
  • ATOC 5835 - Seminar in Planetary Science
    Primary Instructor - Spring 2024 / Fall 2024
    Studies current research on a topic in planetary science. Students and faculty give presentations. Subjects may vary each semester. May be repeated up to 4 total credit hours to meet candidacy requirements. Department enforced prerequisite: senior level undergraduate physics. Same as ASTR 5835 and GEOL 5835.
  • GEOL 2040 - The Search for Life in the Universe
    Primary Instructor - Fall 2022 / Fall 2024
    Introduces the scientific basis for the possible existence of life elsewhere in the universe. Includes origin and evolution of life on Earth and the search for evidence of life in our solar system, including Mars and Jupiter's moon Europa. Discusses the conditions necessary for life and whether they might arise on planets around other stars. Same as ASTR 2040.
  • GEOL 5830 - Topics in Planetary Science
    Primary Instructor - Spring 2021
    Examines current topics in planetary science, based on recent discoveries, spacecraft observations and other developments. Focuses on a specific topic each time the course is offered, such as Mars, Venus, Galilean satellites, exobiology, comets or extrasolar planets. Department enforced prerequisite: restricted to graduate students in the physical sciences. May be repeated up to 9 total credit hours, provided the topics vary. Same as ATOC 5830 and ASTR 5830.
  • GEOL 5835 - Seminar in Planetary Science
    Primary Instructor - Fall 2022
    Studies current research on a topic in planetary science. Students and faculty give presentations. Subjects may vary each semester. May be repeated up to 4 total credit hours to meet candidacy requirements. Department enforced prerequisite: senior level undergraduate physics. Same as ATOC 5835 and ASTR 5835.

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