I study small Solar System bodies through wide-field, time-domain observations, with a particular interest in monitoring active asteroids. Repeated imaging can reveal unexpected brightening, faint comae or dust tails, and the onset, fading, or recurrence of activity. By combining calibrated light curves with image morphology and orbital context, I aim to distinguish dust-related activity from rotational variability, changing viewing geometry, and measurement artifacts.
A key scientific goal is to understand the mechanisms that drive asteroid mass loss, including ice sublimation, impacts, and rotational instability. Monitoring activity over time and across orbital passages can help distinguish these processes and constrain dust production, activity timescales, and the survival of volatile material. These studies connect individual objects to broader questions about the physical evolution of small bodies, the asteroid–comet connection, and the distribution of water-bearing material in the Solar System.
To support this science, I develop survey and processing workflows for SMT and GOTTA, including adaptive scheduling, matching detections to known asteroids using predicted positions, and extracting reliable photometry of moving and trailed sources. My adaptive asteroid survey scheduler connects observing cadence and field selection with visibility constraints and survey coverage, supporting repeated monitoring and timely follow-up of candidate activity.
