Asteroids, Comets, Meteors and Ephemerides

Presentation

The activities of the Asteroids, Comets, Meteors and Ephemerides team focus on the dynamic and physical study of small bodies in the Solar System (asteroids, comets, meteoroids and artificial satellites). The ultimate aim is to gain a better understanding of the various stages in planetary formation, using the information about the young Solar System that is still available from the population of small bodies. To do this, we are studying the motion (orbits) of these objects, as well as their physical characteristics (size, 3D shape, mass, etc.), in order to understand their composition and origin and predict their future (ephemeris).

Activities

The team's work focuses on the various small bodies in the Solar System and artificial satellites:

• Asteroids:
  • Dynamic of the natural satellites of asteroids
  • Origin,mineralogy and physical characterization of asteroids
  • Modelization of the binary asteroids in contact
• Comets
• Meteors: the FRIPON project
• Artifical satellites

Observation devices

The team has in particular its own observation devices:

• The planetology station of Pic du Midi
• The 60 cm telescope of Réunion Island
• The spectrometer SOVAG developed by the team
• The FRIPON network

Members

Permanent members

• Jérôme Berthier
• Mirel Birlan
• François Colas
• Florent Deleflie
• Pascal Descamps
• Lucie Maquet
• Jonathan Normand
• Frédéric Vachier

PhD students

• Julien Dubouil (advisors : F. Colas and D. Darson - LPENS) : e-PARADISE - Development of a very high dynamic range ultra-fast digital camera (200fps/s).

Former PhD students

• Auriane Egal (advisors: F. Colas, J. Vaubaillon and W. Thuillot – Pégase): “About a reliable research of parent bodies of meteor showers”, defended on 09/15/2017
• Myriam Pajuelo (advisors: M. Birlan and B. Carry – OCA): “Multitechnique characterization of binary asteroids”, defended on 09/26/2017
• Bogdan Dumitru (advisor: M. Birlan) : Study of near-Earth asteroids at the origin of meteor showers, defended on 09/26/2018
• Simon Jeanne (advisors : F. Colas et M. Birlan) : Statistical analysis method applied to the FRIPON European meteor network, defended on 03/06/2020

Affiliate members

• Richard Binzel (Massachussets Institute of Technology)
• Sylvain Bouley (University of Paris-Sud 11)
• Benoît Carry (Nice Observatory)
• Auriane Egal (Planétarium Rio Tinto Alcan, Montréal)
• Alin Nedelcu (Astronomical Institute, Romanian Academy)
• Myriam Pajuelo (Pontifical Catholic University of Peru)
• Brigitte Zanda (National Museum of Natural History)

Contact

• Email : acme.imcce@sympa.obspm.fr