A Planetary Perspective of Life

Citation

Wong, Michael L. (2018) A Planetary Perspective of Life. Dissertation (Ph.D.), California Institute of Technology. doi:10.7907/KVBE-HJ52. https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechTHESIS:06052018-220558731

Abstract

Join me on my journey to Jupiter, Titan, Pluto, Earth, and Mars as I seek a deeper understanding of life through the lessons that I learn from each world. How should we define life? What does life do? Why does life exist, and how did it begin? And what do the answers to these questions mean for the prospect of life beyond Earth? No, you’re not going to get any spoilers here. Yes, you actually have to read the manuscript. I spent a lot of time weaving this story together, adding supplementary material to each chapter, connecting the dots between the five planetary bodies that I’ve chosen to tell this tale. There’s a lot in here besides just my published work, including two essays on the origin of life (presented in the Interlude) and two scientific works in progress (presented in the Prologue and the Epilogue). I encourage you to follow the wending tale of my graduate school career from start to finish as I build a planetary perspective of life that I now proudly present to you.

Item Type:

Thesis (Dissertation (Ph.D.))

Subject Keywords:

Planetary science; Titan; Pluto; Earth; astrobiology; origin of life

Degree Grantor:

California Institute of Technology

Division:

Geological and Planetary Sciences

Major Option:

Planetary Sciences

Awards:

Caltech Three Minute Thesis (3MT) competition, 2018: 1st Place.

Thesis Availability:

Public (worldwide access)

Research Advisor(s):

Yung, Yuk L.

Group:

3MT Competition (Caltech)

Thesis Committee:

Ingersoll, Andrew P. (chair)
Knutson, Heather A.
Ehlmann, Bethany L.
Blake, Geoffrey A.
Yung, Yuk L.

Defense Date:

31 May 2018

Non-Caltech Author Email:

tinkertenordoctorspy (AT) gmail.com

Record Number:

CaltechTHESIS:06052018-220558731

Persistent URL:

https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechTHESIS:06052018-220558731

DOI:

10.7907/KVBE-HJ52

Related URLs:

URL	URL Type	Description
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.icarus.2014.05.019	DOI	"Pluto’s Implications for a Snowball Titan"
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.icarus.2016.09.028	DOI	"The Photochemistry of Pluto’s Atmosphere as Illuminated by New Horizons"
https://doi.org/10.1089/ast.2016.1473	DOI	"Nitrogen Oxides in Earth’s Early Atmosphere as Electron Acceptors for Life"

Default Usage Policy:

No commercial reproduction, distribution, display or performance rights in this work are provided.

ID Code:

11026

Collection:

CaltechTHESIS

Deposited By:

Michael Wong

Deposited On:

13 Jun 2018 00:33

Last Modified:

08 Nov 2023 00:36

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