Characterizing Hazardous Near-Earth Asteroids using Infrared Data from NEOWISE

This summer, I got the opportunity to be a Research Fellow at Infrared Processing and Analysis Center (IPAC), CALTECH. I am working under Dr. Joseph Masiero on a project about Near-Earth Asteroids (NEAs).  

NEAs represent a critical area of study due to their significance in the fields of planetary defense and solar system exploration. They are celestial bodies whose orbits bring them in close proximity to Earth, making them potential hazards due to the risk of collision. The study of NEAs is essential for assessing and mitigating this risk, as well as for advancing our understanding of solar system dynamics.

My SURF research project aims to contribute to the characterization of near-Earth asteroids. Using data from the NEOWISE space telescope, my work will focus on modeling the thermophysical properties of selected asteroids identified as having substantial infrared datasets. Asteroids that come close to Earth’s orbit present a potential hazard to our planet. Detailed characterization of these objects using multiple different data sources allows us to build a complete picture of the physical properties of specific objects, as well as understanding general trends in the population of these objects. I will work in concert with a larger observing program to characterize asteroids with polarimetry and thermophysical modeling to understand the properties and origins of these objects.

This research would then be further extended to the upcoming Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope by developing software to inject asteroids into Roman image simulation test data.