Phd in Physics

Corpi minori del Sistema Solare e loro interazione con la Terra

Minor bodies in the Solar System and their interaction with the Earth

Academic year 2022/2023

Sommario del corso

• Course objectives
• Results of learning outcomes
• Learning assessment methods
• Program
• Suggested textbooks and readings
• Teaching tools

Course objectives

The course aims at providing an introduction to Minor Bodies in the Solar System with particular attention to Near Earth Objects, that can produce bright Meteors (Fireballs), and observational methods aimed at detemination of fireballs physical parameters value and recovery of Meteorites.

Results of learning outcomes

Knowledge and understanding

• fundamental concepts in Minor Bodies of the Solar System
• fundamental concepts in Near Earth Objects and their interaction with the Earth
• fundamental concepts in Meteor and Fireball Observation methods and techniques
• fundamental concepts in Meteorites science

Applying knowledge and understanding

• ability to understand format and content of meteor data
• ability to analyse meteor data

Learning assessment methods

The final exam will consist in a powerpoint-style presentation delivered by the student, in which one of the topics treated in (or related to) the course will be expanded.

In preparing her/his presentation, the candidate will have the possibility to refer to both the lecture notes provided by the teachers and integrative articles from the state-of-the-art literature in the field.

After the presentation (of the duration of approximately 15-20 min), an open discussion will follow between the candidate and the teachers, which will determine the exam outcome (pass/reject)

Program

Selected papers on the topic:

Bottke et al., 2006, «The Yarkovsky and Yorp Effects: Implications for Asteroid Dynamics»
Ceplecha, 1987, «Geometric, Dynamic, Orbital and Photometric Data on Meteoroids From Photographic Fireball Networks»
Colas et al., 2020, «FRIPON: a worldwide network to track incoming meteoroids»
DeMeo et al., 2009, «An extension of the Bus asteroid taxonomy into the near-infrared»
Gardiol, et al., 2021, «Cavezzo, the first Italian meteorite recovered by the PRISMA fireball network. Orbit, trajectory, and strewn-field»
Greenwood et al., 2020, «Linking asteroids and meteorites to the primordial planetesimal population»
Gritsevitch et al., 2011, «Constraining the luminous efficiency of meteors»
Hajdukova et al., 2020, «The challenge of identifying interstellar meteors»
Le Pichon et al., 2013, «The 2013 Russian fireball largest ever detected by CTBTO infrasound sensors»
Popova et al., 2013, «Chelyabinsk Airburst, Damage Assessment, Meteorite Recovery, and Characterization»
Pratesi et al., 2021, «Cavezzo—The double face of a meteorite: Mineralogy, petrography, and geochemistry of a very unusual chondrite»

Class schedule

• Teaching materials
• Exams and finals
• Go to Moodle
• Visit the forums