Comparative Study of Near-Earth Asteroids (NEAs)
Wing-Huen Ip (Institute of Astronomy/ Dept. of Space Science and Engi-neering, National Central University)
Description:
Near-Earth asteroids (NEAs) are small asteroids injected into the inner so-lar system from the main asteroidal belt located between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter, respectively. Because of planetary gravitational perturbations, the orbits of some of the NEAs can cross those of Mars, Earth and Venus thus causing catastrophic impact events from time to time. The detailed study of this population of starry bodies is therefore important to Earth de-fense. Because they are usually very small with sizes of only a few km, if not smaller, their physical properties are mostly derived from observations at close-flybys of the Earth. For example, the Lulin Observatory has established a long-term program of NEA photometric observations from which the compositions of the NEAs can be classified. This project will aim to combine the Lulin data set with the published results from other observatories to produce a comprehensive statistics for the surface color and taxonomic dis-tributions of NEAs. In addition, a correlation of orbital parameters of these NEAs with their compositions could provide information on their mechani-cal properties and evolutionary histories. If weather condition permits the student(s) might have the opportunity to participate in telescope observa-tions on Lulin.
Required Background:
Unix/Linux experience, Programming Languages such as Python Scripting, Fortran 90, or C/C++.
Fundamental knowledge of physics, in particular Newtonian mechanics