SPEAKER SERIES: Dr. Peter D. Noerdlinger, PhD
The Origin of the Moon
Please join us for a talk by Dr. Peter Noerdlinger, PhD, a leading expert and distinguished researcher in the field of Physics and Astrophysics for an enlightening evening about the “Origin of the Moon.” He will also share events from his most recent trip to Cape Canaveral for the launch of the GRAIL spacecraft.
Session Summary:
1. Review the structure of the Solar System and the Lagrange points.
2. Take a brief peek at older theories of lunar origin.
3. Explain the present leading theory (collision of a Mars-like object with the early Earth).
4. Present the speaker’s own theory: capture followed by a stripping process that virtually turns the primordial “proto-Moon” inside out and plasters its original core on the Earth.
5. Explain the relevance of the GRAIL Mission, now heading for the Moon!
About the Speaker:
Dr.Noerdlinger has held Senior Scientist positions with leading companies such as Raytheon, Emergent Information Technologies, Microcosm, Inc., Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Los Alamos National Laboratory, and The Solar Energy Research Institute. He has also served in various faculty positions at Michigan State University, New Mexico Institute of Mining & Technology, University of Iowa, St. Mary’s University, Johns Hopkins University and the University of Chicago.
Dr. Noerdlinger has over 100 publications and reports on topics such as Plasma Physics, Computational Physics, Radiative Transfer, Orbital Mechanics, Astrophysics, Geolocation, and Sea Ice Shelves. He is an elected Fellow of the American Physical Society and the Royal Astronomical Society, and member of the American Astronomical Society, American Association for the Advancement of Science, American Association of Physics Teachers, Phi Beta Kappa and the Sigma Xi scientific honorary society. Dr. Noerdlinger received an AB (Magna Cum Laude) in Physics from Harvard University in 1956 (minor in Mathematics) and a PhD in Physics from California Institute of Technology in 1960 (minor in Mathematics).
No charge for event.
Space is LIMITED to 68 guests.
Older school-aged children are welcome to attend.