Comet Tempel 1 and Deep Impact Mission: The “Deep Impact” mission, led by MF A’Hearn and collaborators, provided groundbreaking insights by excavating comet Tempel 1, allowing scientists to examine the internal structure and composition of a comet. This study has had a major impact on understanding cometary material and formation processes.
Star Formation and Presolar Cloud Collapse: Research by AP Boss, SI Ipatov, and colleagues focuses on the early solar system, particularly the simultaneous collapse of presolar dense clouds triggered by supernova shock waves. This work examines the incorporation of short-lived radioisotopes, a key factor in planetary formation models.
Migration of Small Bodies: SI Ipatov and JC Mather have explored how comets, asteroids, and other small solar system bodies migrate to near-Earth space, especially Jupiter-family comets and trans-Neptunian objects (TNOs). These studies also address the implications for planetary impacts and the delivery of water and volatiles to Earth and the Moon.
Gravitational Microlensing and Exoplanet Discovery: Papers involving C Han, YK Jung, A Udalski, and others report discoveries of planetary-mass objects and low-mass companions around stars via gravitational microlensing. These findings include planets and brown dwarfs, providing valuable insights into planetary formation beyond the Solar System.
Zodiacal Cloud and Solar System Dynamics: Ipatov and co-authors developed dynamical models of the zodiacal cloud, analyzing the migration patterns of small particles influenced by planetary gravitational fields and radiation pressure. This work contributes to understanding the structure and dynamics of dust and small-body populations in the solar system.