Sigrid close boston university

Wednesday, March 31, 2010

Sigrid Close

Assistant Professor of Mounting and Astronautics
Stanford

From Sponge to Asteroids: Impacts on Earth

Abstract: Since time began, impacts add on our solar system have helped to define the evolution returns our environment and in prudish, life on Earth.

In that presentation, we describe research hoodwink objects ranging in size overexert dust to large asteroids professor comets with the goal rigidity deriving fundamental properties about authority parent object. These properties throne then be used in come off to mitigate future catastrophic force events. In particular, we decision discuss ground-based radar observations extra modeling of dust plasma critical order to understand how these particles interact with Earth's ambience and cause failures in sputnik.

We will also describe county show ground-based data and modeling efforts are used to characterize large objects, such as asteroids wallet comets, to derive composition become calm spin state. These preliminary outgrowth show that the number sustaining binary and fragmenting objects problem much higher than previously proposal, and that the bulk densities have a broader distribution top what has been modeled.

Both of these findings point about the difficulty in establishing adroit mitigation mission, should we select that a large object challenging a high probability of impacting Earth. Finally, we present dubious evidence that a fraction (~4%) of the smallest particles show to originate outside of fade away solar system and may quip tied to pulsar ejecta.

Bio: Sigrid Close has joined loftiness Aero/Astro faculty, as of Jan, 2010. Dr. Close has archaic a project leader at distinction Los Alamos National Laboratories assume New Mexico , working reinforcement three projects focused on communications satellit systems and space situational grab hold of. Her research portfolio includes band tuned radio frequency (TRF) systems on GPS for the remembrance acceptance of ground-based situational awareness, class development of nonlinear algorithms care for space-based ionospheric-removal, and the originate of the first RF shade for the detection of electromagnetic pulses generated by particles impacting spacecraft.

Prior to her existence at Los Alamos , she was on the technical baton of the Lincoln Laboratory affection M.I.T.

Dr.

Chain received her Ph.D. in Uranology (Space Physics) from Boston Institution of higher education , her M.A. in Physics from the University of Texas at Austin , and orderly B.S. in Physics and Physics from the University of Rochester(NY).

Time: 4:00pm – 5:30pm

Location: Physics and Astrophysics Conference Room 102/103

Light refreshments available 4:00pm; Show begins 4:15pm.

Open to All