Planetary Lunch Series (PLS) – Belén Yu Irureta-Goyena (École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Switzerland)

Title: A New Look on Asteroid Detection in Wide-Field Surveys

Abstract: The Zwicky Transient Facility, with its extremely large field of view (47 square degrees), has been used to discover more than 200 near-Earth asteroids and comets. This seminar explores new methods to improve the current pipeline and enhance the recovery rate. In particular, it delves into the application of a machine-learning algorithm trained on both past detections and simulated asteroid data. The expectation is that the developed tools will also be applicable to Euclid, VST and a range of other satellite and ground-based surveys, setting the stage for fast and automated asteroid detection in the upcoming generation of telescopes.

About this Series: The MIT Planetary Lunch Seminar [PLS] is a weekly seminar series organized within the EAPS department. Colloquia topics span the range of research interests of the department’s planetary sciences research program. The seminars take place on Tuesdays from 12:15–1:30 pm, unless otherwise noted (term-time only). Speakers include members of the MIT community and visitors. Talks are intended to appeal to graduate students, postdocs, research scientists, and faculty with a background in planetary science. For more information and Zoom password contact: planetary-org@mit.edu