Asteroidscomets

Christopher Lam (Caltech/IPAC): "Roman Microlensing Detection Efficiency and Planet Occurrence"

October
14
S M T W T F S

The Roman Galactic Bulge Time Domain Survey (GBTDS) will soon begin detecting bound and free-floating exoplanets using the microlensing method. These exoplanets will occupy a novel region of stellar and planetary parameter space compared to past transit missions such as Kepler and TESS, as well as number well beyond the yields of ground-based microlensing surveys such as OGLE, MOA, and KMTNet. In order to properly interpret the GBTDS microlensing exoplanet yield, we must calculate the completeness and reliability of the survey. I will discuss the mechanics of how we aim to compute the expected false negative and false positive rates, prospects for false alarms, and the utility of per-target detection efficiency versus population-wide detection efficiency. Finally, I will speculate wildly on what is required to place Roman microlensing exoplanet demographics on even footing with Kepler transiting exoplanet demographics.

Date: 12:15 PM, October 14th, 2026
Location: MR-102 and Online on Zoom
Category: IPAC Space Sciences Seminar