Alessandro Morbidelli (born May 2, 1966)
is an Italian
astronomer
An astronomer is a scientist in the field of astronomy who focuses their studies on a specific question or field outside the scope of Earth. They observe astronomical objects such as stars, planets, moons, comets and galaxies – in either ...
and
planetary scientist
Planetary science (or more rarely, planetology) is the scientific study of planets (including Earth), celestial bodies (such as moons, asteroids, comets) and planetary systems (in particular those of the Solar System) and the processes of their ...
who is currently employed by the
Observatoire de la Cote d'Azur in
Nice
Nice ( , ; Niçard dialect, Niçard: , classical norm, or , nonstandard, ; it, Nizza ; lij, Nissa; grc, Νίκαια; la, Nicaea) is the prefecture of the Alpes-Maritimes departments of France, department in France. The Nice urban unit, agg ...
.
Morbidelli specialises in
Solar System
The Solar System Capitalization of the name varies. The International Astronomical Union, the authoritative body regarding astronomical nomenclature, specifies capitalizing the names of all individual astronomical objects but uses mixed "Solar ...
dynamics,
especially
planetary formation
The nebular hypothesis is the most widely accepted model in the field of cosmogony to explain the formation and evolution of the Solar System (as well as other planetary systems). It suggests the Solar System is formed from gas and dust orbitin ...
and
migration
Migration, migratory, or migrate may refer to: Human migration
* Human migration, physical movement by humans from one region to another
** International migration, when peoples cross state boundaries and stay in the host state for some minimum le ...
and the structure of the
asteroid and
Kuiper belts.
In 2000, he received the
Urey Prize from the
Division for Planetary Sciences
Division or divider may refer to:
Mathematics
*Division (mathematics), the inverse of multiplication
* Division algorithm, a method for computing the result of mathematical division
Military
*Division (military), a formation typically consisting ...
of the
American Astronomical Society.
On 17 November 2015, Morbidelli was elected a foreign member of the French
Académie des Sciences
The French Academy of Sciences (French: ''Académie des sciences'') is a learned society, founded in 1666 by Louis XIV at the suggestion of Jean-Baptiste Colbert, to encourage and protect the spirit of French scientific research. It was at th ...
.
In 2018, he received the
Prix Jules Janssen, the highest award of the
Société astronomique de France.
Publications
*
Jewitt D., Morbidelli A., Rauer H., "Trans-Neptunian Objects and Comets", ''Springer'', 2008
References
External links
Talk of Alessandro Morbidelli at the Origins 2011 congress
21st-century Italian astronomers
Members of the French Academy of Sciences
1966 births
Living people
{{Italy-astronomer-stub
Planetary scientists