相片提供

威廉.伯鲁奇

以表彰他構思及領導開普勒計劃;這計劃大大增進了對太陽系外行星系及恒星內部的認識。

貢獻

2015年度邵逸夫天文學奬頒予威廉•伯魯奇(William J Borucki),以表彰他構思及領導開普勒計劃;這計劃大大增進了對太陽系外行星系及恒星內部的認識。他是美國宇航局艾姆斯研究中心開普勒計劃首席研究員。

1984年,威廉•伯魯奇和奥德麗•薩默斯發表論文,評估以凌星測光法探測太陽系外行星系的可能性。其主要概念是同時監測許多恒星的亮度。行星橫過觀察者(地球)與其寄主星之間的視線時,使所見的寄主星亮度輕微減少,這就是行星存在的證據。亮度減少的現象周期性出現,相隔時間正好就是行星的公轉周期,這周期性特徵有利分辨寄主星亮度起伏的其他原因。凌星現象的深度決定了行星與其寄主星的面積比率。威廉•伯魯奇和奥德麗•薩默斯強調,若要檢測約地球大小的行星,必須於大氣層上方能觀察得到。

繼續閱讀

得獎人獲獎介紹

Thirty years ago, William Borucki and Audrey Summers published a paper assessing the potential for detecting extrasolar planetary systems by transit photometry. The key concept is to simultaneously monitor the brightness of a large number of stars with a high-precision photometer. Planets are revealed by the dips in brightness they produce when they pass in front of (transit) their host stars. Successive transits by a planet are spaced by its orbit period, which helps to distinguish transits from other sources of stellar variability. Transit depths determine the ratio of the planet’s surface area to that of its host star. Borucki and Summers emphasized that detection of Earth-size planets would require observations from above the atmosphere.

Subsequently, Borucki began a long quest to develop a suitable photometer and to convince the astronomical community and the US National Space and Aeronautics Administration (NASA) that a modest space mission could discover planets potentially capable of harbouring life. Four proposals submitted between 1992 and 1998 were rejected before the fifth was selected in December 2001 as Discovery Mission #10. Mission development began in 2002 and launch occurred in March 2009.

繼續閱讀
得獎者簡介
威廉.伯魯奇 (William J Borucki)

威廉.伯魯奇 (William J Borucki) 1939年於美國芝加哥出生,為美國宇航局開普勒計劃首席研究員。1962年於美國威斯康辛大學麥迪遜分校物理學碩士畢業,1982年於美國加州聖荷西州立大學取得氣象學碩士學位。從1962年至今一直於美國宇航局艾姆斯研究中心工作,擔任太空科學家職務。物理學碩士畢業後,於矽谷之美國宇航局艾姆斯研究中心高超音速自由飛行分部工作,為阿波羅宇航計劃研發隔熱屏。登月計劃成功後,他轉往理論研究分部,研究在行星大氣內的閃電活動,以及發展數學模型,從而預測氧化氮及氯氟甲烷對地球臭氧層的影響。美國宇航局的開普勒航天飛行器於2009年3月發射,旨在用凌星測光方法去尋找系外行星。

得獎人自傳
得獎者特寫
2015年度邵逸夫天文學獎講座
2015年度邵逸夫獎公開論壇