David Jewitt
Professor
Department of Earth and Space Sciences
Department of Physics and Astonomy
Department of Earth and Space Sciences
Department of Physics and Astonomy
EARTH & SPACE SCIENCES
Area of Expertise: comets; asteroids; comet-asteroid interrelations; solar system formation; planet formation; protoplanetary disk; dust disks around young stars; Kuiper belt; Oort cloud
Biography
David Jewitt's research focuses all aspects of the solar system, particularly asteroids and comets.
He studies the solar system's small bodies in the hunt for clues to the origin and evolution of planets. He also explores the primitive bodies, especially comets, which are likely remnants from the accretional processes by which the major planets grew.
His hope, he says, is that the properties of the comets will throw light on the nature and evolution of the protoplanetary disk, as well as the general issue of planet formation and the existence of dust disks around young stars.
Jewitt is a member of the National Academy of Sciences and a fellow of both the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
