PTYS/LPL Faculty
Erik Asphaug
Professor
Lunar studies, MMX, Planetary analogs, Planetary surfaces, Psyche, Space Situational Awareness, Titan & Outer Solar System
BS, 1984, Rice University; Ph.D., 1993, The University of Arizona
Years with LPL: 2017
I specialize in planet formation resulting from pairwise collisions ('giant impacts') and the physics of low-gravity bodies such as comets, small satellites and asteroids. I also dabble in the evolution of the martian and lunar surface, and the origin of chondrules. I am pursuing the development of laboratories in near-Earth space relevant to accessing and processing in situ resources, and missions to asteroids and comets.
Current Grants
Co-I: Psyche: Journey to a Metal World
PI: Prof. Linda Elkins-Tanton (ASU)
Program name: NASA Discovery Program, Science Mission Directorate
Performance period: 02/15/17 – 09/15/2027
Co-I: A Further Understanding of Bennu's Surface: Developing and Constraining Particle-Based Methods
PI: Dr. Stephen Schwartz (UA)
Program name: OSIRIS-REx Participating Scientist Program, NASA New Frontiers Program, Science Mission Directorate
Period of performance: 12/1/2017 to 11/30/2020
Co-I: Scale-Dependent Measurements of Meteorite Strength: Implications for the Fragmentation of Potentially Hazardous Asteroids
PI: Prof. Desiree Cotto-Figueroa (UPRH)
Program name: Solar System Observations
Period of performance: 08/01/2018 to 07/31/21
Science PI: Stop Hitting Yourself: Did Most Terrestrial Impactors Originate from Terrestrial Planets?
PI: Prof. Linda Elkins-Tanton (ASU)
Program name: NASA Emerging Worlds
Period of performance: 1/1/2016 to 12/31/2018
Co-I: Seismic Orbital Laser VibrometEr (SOLVE)
PI: Prof. Paul Sava (Colorado School of Mines)
Program name: NASA PICASSO
Period of Performance: 06/01/2017 – 05/31/19
Current Spacecraft Involvement
- Co-I, Psyche
- Science Board, MMX (Martian Moons eXploration, JAXA)
Former Spacecraft Involvement
- Co-I, Lunar Cratering Observation and Sensing Satellite (LCROSS), NASA Ames (2006-2010; PI: T. Colaprete)
- Associate, Galileo Solid State Imaging Science Team (1996-2003; PI: M. Belton)
Current PTYS Graduate Students
Student Collaborations/Advising
- Travis Gabriel (ASU)
Current Postdocs
Former Postdocs
- Alan Jackson (2013-2016)
- Desiree Cotto-Figueroa (2013-2015)
- Andreas Reufer (2013, 2014)
- Shangfei Liu (2013-2015)
- Martin Jutzi (2009-2011)
- Lindsey Chambers (2008-2011)
- Misha Kreslavsky (2006-2012)
- Don Korycansky (2000-2002)
- Craig Agnor (2002-2004)
Complete publications list available from: NASA ADS Author search: Erik Asphaug
Refereed publications (NASA ADS): Calendar Years 2017 and 2018
Stopar, J. D., Jolliff, B. L., Speyerer, E. J., Asphaug, E. I., Robinson, M. S. Potential impact-induced water-solid reactions on the Moon 2018P&SS..162..157S
Belton, M. J. S., Zou, X.-D., Li, J.-Y., Asphaug, E. On the origin of internal layers in comet nuclei 2018Icar..314..364B
Benavidez, P. G., Durda, D. D., Enke, B., Campo Bagatin, A., Richardson, D. C., Asphaug, E., Bottke, W. F. Impact simulation in the gravity regime: Exploring the effects of parent body size and internal structure 2018Icar..304..143B
Sava, P., Asphaug, E. 3D radar wavefield tomography of comet interiors 2018AdSpR..61.2198S
Jackson, A. P., Gabriel, T. S. J., Asphaug, E. I. Constraints on the pre-impact orbits of Solar system giant impactors 2018MNRAS.474.2924J
Golabek, G. J., Emsenhuber, A., Jutzi, M., Asphaug, E. I., Gerya, T. V. Coupling SPH and thermochemical models of planets: Methodology and example of a Mars-sized body 2018Icar..301..235G
Lightholder, J., Thoesen, A., Adamson, E., Jakubowski, J., Nallapu, R., Smallwood, S., Raura, L., Klesh, A., Asphaug, E., Thangavelautham, J. Asteroid Origins Satellite (AOSAT) I: An On-orbit Centrifuge Science Laboratory 2017AcAau.133...81L
| Semester | Course | Day/Time | Location | Resources |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring 2021 | PTYS 595B-002 | |||
| Spring 2020 | PTYS 595B-002 | |||
| Spring 2019 | PTYS 595B-002 | TTH 2:00-3:15p.m. | Kuiper 312 | Syllabus |
| Fall 2019 | PTYS 595B-002 |