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Davide Farnocchia

Researcher

About

Education

  • Ph.D. in Mathematics, Galileo Galilei School of Graduate studies, University of Pisa (2012)
  • M.D. in Mathematics, University of Pisa (2008)
  • B.D. in Mathematics, University of Pisa (2006)

Research Interests

  • Orbit determination and dynamics of small Solar System bodies
  • Near-Earth asteroid surveys
  • Statistical treatment of astrometric data
  • Nongravitational perturbations
  • Impact hazard assessment

Experience

Professional Experience

  • 2014 – present: Navigation Engineer at Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology
  • 2012 – 2014: NASA Postdoctoral Fellow at Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology
  • 2012: Research fellow at SpaceDyS, Navacchio (PI), Italy
  • 2008: Research fellow at Department of Mathematics, University of Pisa, Italy

Achievements

Awards & Recognitions

  • JPL Voyager Award (2021)
  • The Lew Allen Award for Excellence | For exceptional leadership and research roles in orbit reconstruction and prediction of asteroids and comets. (2019)
  • NASA Award | NASA Group Achievement Award to OSIRIS-REx Asteroid Approach and Preliminary Survey 'For sustained excellence in surmounting unprecedented navigation and science challenges during the OSIRIS-REx Asteroid Bennu Approach and Preliminary Survey Phases' (2019)
  • The Lew Allen Award for Excellence | Jet Propulsion Laboratory Lew Allen Award 'For exceptional leadership and research roles in orbit reconstruction and prediction of asteroids and comets' (2019)
  • JPL Team Award | Jet Propulsion Laboratory Team Award for the "Planetary Defense Simulated Impact Exercise Team" (2019)
  • JPL Voyager Award (2019)
  • JPL Voyager Award (2018)
  • NASA Award | NASA Group Achievement Award to OSIRIS-REx Mission Team 'For exceptional scientific, engineering, and management expertise and dedication in the development of the flight system for the OSIRIS-REx Asteroid Sample Return Mission' (2017)
  • NASA Award | NASA Group Achievement Award to Juno Jupiter Orbit Insertion Team "For outstanding achievement in the successful insertion of the Juno spacecraft into orbit around Jupiter" (2017)
  • JPL Team Award | Jet Propulsion Laboratory Team Award "For Juno B-plane Definition Sensitivity Study" (2017)
  • JPL Voyager Award (2017)
  • JPL Team Award | Jet Propulsion Laboratory Team Award 'For excellence in the execution of the Juno Navigation team tasks through the start of prime science operations at Jupiter' (2017)
  • JPL Team Award | Jet Propulsion Laboratory Team Award for the "Implementation of JPL's Scout system, which predicts asteroid orbits given a very short data arc" (2016)
  • NASA Award | NASA Group Achievement Award to Comet Modeling, Prediction and Assessment Team "For exceptional achievement in trajectory prediction, comet dust modeling, and risk assessment of hazards posed by the close, fly-by of Comet Siding Spring past Mars" (2015)
  • NASA Award | NASA Group Achievement Award to MRO Comet Siding Spring Observing Team "For excellence in developing and executing the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter Comet Siding Spring Observing Campaign" (2015)
  • NASA Award | NASA Group Achievement Award to Spitzer Near Asteroid Team "For exemplary science implementation, analysis and execution of the Spitzer MD and. BD near-Earth Asteroid Observations for NASA's Asteroid Redirect Mission" (2015)
  • NASA Award | NASA Group Achievement Award to Comet Modeling, Prediction and Assessment Team "For exceptional achievement in trajectory prediction, comet dust modeling, and risk assessment of hazards posed by the close, fly-by of Comet Siding Spring past Mars" (2014)
  • JPL Mariner Award | Jet Propulsion Laboratory Mariner Award "For providing close approach predictions (and uncertainties) for the Comet Siding Spring" (2014)
  • Professional Society and External Organization Awards | Celestial Mechanics and Innovation Prize awarded to an original research leading to innovative astrodynamical applications (2013)
  • National Academies (2012)
  • NASA Award | NASA Group Achievement Award to Spitzer Near Asteroid Team "For exemplary science implementation, analysis and execution of the Spitzer. MD and. BD near-Earth Asteroid Observations for NASA's Asteroid Redirect Mission" (2011)
  • NASA Award | NASA Group Achievement Award to Spitzer Near Asteroid Team "For exemplary science implementation, analysis and execution of the Spitzer MD and. BD near-Earth Asteroid Observations for NASA's Asteroid Redirect Mission" (2009)

Publications

  1. Fuentes-Munoz, O., Scheeres, D.J., Farnocchia, D., Park, R.S.: The Hazardous km-sized NEOs of the Next Thousands of Years. The Astronomical Journal 166, 10 (2023)
  2. Noonan, J.W., Parker, J.W., Harris, W.M., et al.: The Evolution of Activity and Chemical Composition in Rosetta’s Comet Targets Across Multiple Apparitions: Complications for CS2 as the CS Parent in Comet Nuclei. The Planetary Science Journal 4, 73 (2023)
  3. Holman, M.J., Akmal, A., Farnocchia, D., et al.: ASSIST: An Ephemeris-quality Test-particle Integrator. The Planetary Science Journal 4, 69 (2023)
  4. Seligman, D.Z., Farnocchia, D., Micheli, M., et al.: Dark Comets? Unexpectedly Large Nongravitational Accelerations on a Sample of Small Asteroids. The Planetary Science Journal 4, 35 (2023)
  5. Farnocchia, D., Seligman, D.Z., Granvik, M., et al.: (523599) 2003 RM: The asteroid that wanted to be a comet. The Planetary Science Journal 4, 29 (2023)
  6. Farnocchia, D., Reddy, V., Bauer, J.M., et al.: International Asteroid Warning Network Timing Campaign: 2019 XS. The Planetary Science Journal 3, 156 (2022)
  7. Reddy, V., Kelley, M.S., Dotson, J., et al.: Apophis Planetary Defense Campaign. The Planetary Science Journal 3, 123 (2022)
  8. Takeuchi, H., Taniguchi, S., Ichikawa, T. et al.: Orbit Determination for Hayabusa2. Hayabusa2 Asteroid Sample Return Mission, 73-94 (2022)
  9. Davidsson, B.J.R., Samarasinha, N.H., Farnocchia, D., Gutierrez, P.J.: Modelling the water and carbon dioxide production rates of Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society 509, 3065-3085 (2022).
  10. Roa, J., Farnocchia, D., Chesley, S.R.: A Novel Approach to Asteroid Impact Monitoring. Astronomical Journal 162, 277 (2021)
  11. Tricarico, P., Scheeres, D.J., French, A.S., et al.: Internal rubble composition of asteroid (101955) Bennu. Icarus 370, 114665 (2021)
  12. Farnocchia, D., Chesley, S.R., Takahashi, Y.: Bennu ephemeris and hazard assessment based on OSIRIS-REx data. Icarus 396, 114594 (2021)
  13. Hirabayashi, M., Mimasu, Y., Sakatani, N., et al.: Hayabusa2 extended mission: New voyage to rendezvous with an extremely small body rotating with a short period. Advances in Space Research 68. 1533-1555 (2021)
  14. Devogele, M., Ferrais, M., Jehin, E., et al.: (6478) Gault: Physical characterization of an active main-belt asteroid. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society 505, 245-258 (2021)
  15. Jenniskens, P., Gabadirwe M, Yin Q.-Z., et al.: The impact and recovery of asteroid 2018 LA. Meteoritics and Planetary Sciences 56, 844-893 (2021)
  16. Naidu, S.P., Micheli, M., Farnocchia, D., et al.: Precovery Observations Confirm the Capture Time of Asteroid 2020 CD3 as Earth's Minimoon. The Astrophysical Journal 913, L6 (2021)
  17. Noonan, J.W., Harris, W.M., Bromley, S., et al.: FUV Observations of the Inner Coma of 46P/Wirtanen. The Planetary Science Journal 2, 8 (2021)
  18. Farnocchia D., Bellerose, J., Bhaskaran, S., Micheli, M., Weryk, R.: High-fidelity comet 67P ephemeris and predictions based on Rosetta data. Icarus 358, 114276 (2021)
  19. Tardioli, C., Farnocchia, D., Vasile, M., Chesley, S.R.: Impact probability under aleatory and epistemic uncertainties. Celestial Mechanics and Dynamical Astronomy 132, 54 (2020)
  20. Fedorets, G., Micheli, M., Jedicke, R., et al.: Establishing Earth's Minimoom Population through Characterization of Asteroid 2020 CD3. The Astronomical Journal 160, 277 (2020)
  21. Roa, J., Farnocchia, D., Chodas, P.W., et al.: Recoverability of known near-Earth asteroids. The Astronomical Journal 160, 250 (2020)
  22. Scheeres, D.J., McMahon, J.W., French, A.S., et al.: A Heterogeneous Mass Distribution for Bennu and its Implications. Science Advances 6, eabc3350 (2020)
  23. Bodewits, D., Noonan, J.W., Feldman, P.D., et al.: The carbon monoxide-rich interstellar comet 2I/Borisov. Nature Astronomy 4, 867-871 (2020)
  24. Hergenrother, C.W., Maleszewski, C., Li, J.-Y., et al.: Photometry of particles ejected from active asteroid (101955) Bennu. Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets 125, e06381 (2020).
  25. Chesley, S.R., French, A.S., Davis, A.B., et al.: Trajectory estimation for particles observed in the vicinity of (101955) Bennu. Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets 125, e06363 (2020).
  26. McMahon, J.W., Scheeres, D.J., Chesley, S.R., et al.: Dynamical Evolution of Simulated Particles Ejected from Asteroid Bennu. Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets 125, e06229 (2020)
  27. Rumpf, C.M., Mathias, D.L., Wheeler, L., et al.: Deflection Driver Evolution Of Asteroid Impact Risk Under Larger Uncertainties. Acta Astronautica 176, 276-286 (2020)
  28. Scheeres, D.J., McMahon, J.W., Brack, D.N., et al.: Particle Ejection Contributions to the YORP Effect acting on Asteroid (101955) Bennu. Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets 125, e06284 (2020)
  29. Bailer-Jones, C.A.L., Farnocchia, D., Ye, Q., Meech, K.J., Micheli, M.: A search for the origin of the interstellar comet 2I/Borisov. Astronomy & Astrophysics 634, A14 (2020)
  30. Ye, Q., Kelley, M.S.P., Bolin, B.T., et al.: Pre-discovery Activity of 2I/Borisov Beyond 5 au. The Astronomical Journal 159, 77 (2020)
  31. Ye, Q., Masci, F.J., Ip, W.-H., et al.: A Twilight Search for Atiras, Vatiras and Co-orbital Asteroids. The Astronomical Journal 159, 70 (2020)
  32. Eggl, S., Farnocchia, D., Chamberlin, A.B., Chesley, S.R.: Star catalog and proper motion corrections in asteroid astrometry II: The Gaia era. Icarus 339, 113596 (2020)
  33. Lauretta, D.S., Hergenrother, C.W., Chesley, S.R., et al.: OSIRIS-REx discovery of particle ejection from asteroid (101955) Bennu. Science 366, 1217 (2019)
  34. Farnocchia, D., Eggl, S., Chodas, P.W., Giorgini, J.D., Chesley, S.R.: Planetary encounter analysis on the B-plane: a comprehensive formulation. Celestial Mechanics and Dynamical Astronomy 131, 36 (2019)
  35. Del Vigna, A., Roa, J., Farnocchia, D., et al.: Yarkovsky effect detection and updated impact hazard assessment for near-Earth asteroid (410777) 2009 FD. Astronomy & Astrophysics 627, L11 (2019)
  36. Moskovitz, N.A., Fatka, P., Farnocchia, D., et al.: A common origin for dynamically associated near-Earth asteroid pairs. Icarus 333, 165-176 (2019)
  37. Hui, M.-T., Farnocchia, D., Micheli, M.: C/2010 U3 (Boattini): A Bizarre Comet Active at Record Heliocentric Distance. The Astronomical Journal 157, 162 (2019)
  38. Reddy, V., Kelley, M.S., Farnocchia, D., et al.: Near-Earth Asteroid 2012 TC4 Campaign: Results from Global Planetary Defense Exercise. Icarus 326, 133-150 (2019)
  39. Scheeres., D.J., McMahon, J.W., French, A.S., et al.: The dynamic geophysical environment of (101955) Bennu based on OSIRIS-REx measurements. Nature Astronomy 3, 352-361 (2019)
  40. Greenstreet, S., Farnocchia, D., Lister, T.: Measuring the Yarkovsky effect with the Las Cumbres Observatory. Icarus 321, 564-571 (2019)
  41. Hanus, J., Vokrouhlicky, D., Delbo', M., et al.: (3200) Phaethon: Bulk density from Yarkovsky drift detection. Astronomy and Astrophysics 620, L8 (2018)
  42. Trilling, D.E., Mommert, M., Hora, J.L. et al.: Spitzer observations of interstellar object 1I/'Oumuamua. The Astronomical Journal 156, 261 (2018)
  43. Bailer-Jones, C.A.L., Farnocchia, D., Meech, K.J., et al.: Plausible Home Stars of the Interstellar Object ‘Oumuamua Found in Gaia DR2. The Astrophysical Journal 156, 205 (2018)
  44. Del Vigna, A., Faggioli, L., Milani, A., et al: Detecting the Yarkovsky effect among near-Earth asteroids from astrometric data. Astronomy and Astrophysics 617, A61 (2018)
  45. Micheli, M., Farnocchia, D., Meech, K.J.: Non-gravitational acceleration in the trajectory of 1I/2017 U1 ('Oumuamua). Nature 559, 223-226 (2018)
  46. Veres, P., Payne, M.J., Holman, M.J., et al.: Unconfirmed Near-Earth Objects. The Astronomical Journal 156, 5 (2018)
  47. McMahon, J.W., Scheeres, D.J., Hesar, S.G., et al: The OSIRIS-REx Radio Science Experiment at Bennu. Space Science Reviews 214, 43 (2018)
  48. Durech, J., Vokrouhlicky, D., Pravec, P., et al: Search for the YORP effect in asteroids (1685) Toro, (2100) Ra-Shalom, (3103) Eger, and (161989) Cacus. Astronomy and Astrophysics 608, A86 (2018)
  49. Tardioli, C., Farnocchia, D., Rozitis, B., et al: Constraints on the near-Earth asteroid obliquity distribution from the Yarkovsky effect. Astronomy and Astrophysics 608, A61 (2017)
  50. Li, J.-Y., Kelley, M.S.P., Samarasinha, N.H., et al.: The Unusual Apparition of Comet 252P/LINEAR and Comparison with Comet P/2016 BA14. The Astronomical Journal 154, 136 (2017)
  51. Veres, P., Farnocchia, D., Chesley, S.R., Chamberlin, A.B.: Statistical Analysis of Astrometric Errors for the Most Productive Asteroid Surveys. Icarus 296, 139-149 (2017)
  52. Farnocchia, D., Jenniskens, P., Robertson, D.K., et al.: The impact trajectory of asteroid 2008 TC3. Icarus 294, 218-226 (2017)
  53. Moreno, F., Pozuelos, F.J., Novakovic, B., et al.: The splitting of double-component active asteroid P/2016 J1 (PANSTARRS). The Astrophysical Journal 837, L3 (2017)
  54. Scheeres, D.J., Hesar, S., Tardivel, S., et al.: The Geophysical Environment of Bennu. Icarus 276, 116-140 (2016)
  55. Farnocchia, D., Chesley, S.R., Brown, P.G., Chodas, P.W.: The trajectory and atmospheric impact of asteroid 2014 AA. Icarus 274, 327-333 (2016)
  56. Farnocchia, D., Chesley, S.R., Micheli, M., et al.: High precision comet trajectory estimates: the Mars flyby of comet C/2013 A1 (Siding Spring). Icarus 266, 279-287 (2016)
  57. Farnocchia, D., Milani, A., Chesley, S.R., Gronchi, G.F., Chodas, P.W.: Orbits, long-term predictions, impact monitoring. Asteroids IV, 815-834 (2015)
  58. Farnocchia, D., Chesley, S.R., Micheli, M.: Systematic ranging and late warning asteroid impacts. Icarus 258, 18-27 (2015)
  59. Vokrouhlicky, D., Farnocchia, D., Capek, D., et al.: The Yarkovsky effect for (99942) Apophis. Icarus 252, 277-283 (2015)
  60. Farnocchia, D., Chesley, S.R., Chamberlin, A.B., Tholen, D.J.: Star catalog position and proper motion corrections in asteroid astrometry. Icarus 245, 94-111 (2015)
  61. Spoto, F., Milani, A., Farnocchia, D., et al.: Nongravitational Perturbations and Virtual Impactors: the case of asteroid (410777) 2009 FD. Astronomy and Astrophysics 572, A100 (2014)
  62. Kelley, M.S.P., Farnham, T.L., Bodewits, D., Tricarico, P., Farnocchia, D.: A Study of Dust and Gas at Mars from Comet C/2013 A1 (Siding Spring). The Astrophysical Journal 792, L16 (2014)
  63. Farnocchia, D., Chesley, S.R., Tholen, D.J, Micheli, M.: High precision predictions for near-Earth asteroids: the strange case of (3908) Nyx. Celestial Mechanics and Dynamical Astronomy 119, 301-312 (2014)
  64. Farnocchia, D., Chesley, S.R., Chodas, P.W., et al.: Trajectory analysis for the nucleus and dust of comet C/2013 A1 (Siding Spring). The Astrophysical Journal 790, 114 (2014)
  65. Mommert, M., Farnocchia, D., Hora, J.L., et al.: Physical Properties of Near-Earth Asteroid 2011 MD. The Astrophysical Journal 789, L22 (2014)
  66. Veres, P., Farnocchia, D., Jedicke, R., Spoto, F.: The effect of parallax and cadence
on asteroid impact probabilities and warning times. Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific 126, 433-444 (2014)
  67. Tricarico, P., Samarasinha, N.H., Sykes, M.V., et al.: Delivery of dust grains from comet C/2013 A1 (Siding Spring) to Mars. The Astrophysical Journal 787, L35 (2014)
  68. Mommert, M., Hora, J.L., Farnocchia, D, et al.: Constraining the Physical Properties of Near–Earth Object 2009 BD. The Astrophysical Journal 786, 148 (2014)
  69. Chesley, S.R., Farnocchia, D., Nolan, M.C., et al.: Orbit and Bulk Density of the OSIRIS-REx Target Asteroid (101955) Bennu. Icarus 235, 5-22 (2014)
  70. Farnocchia, D., Chesley, S.R.:  Assessment of the 2880 impact threat from asteroid (29075) 1950 DA. Icarus 229, 321-327 (2014)
  71. Farnocchia, D., Bracali Cioci, D., Milani, A.: Robust resolution of Kepler’s equation in all eccentricity regimes. Celestial Mechanics and Dynamical Astronomy 116, 21-34 (2013)
  72. Denneau, L., Jedicke, R., Grav, T., et al.: The Pan-STARRS Moving Object Processing System. Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific 125, 357-395 (2013)
  73. Farnocchia, D., Chesley, S.R., Chodas, P.W., et al.: Yarkovsky-driven impact risk analysis for asteroid (99942) Apophis. Icarus 224, 192-200 (2013)
  74. Farnocchia, D., Chesley, S.R., Vokrouhlicky, D., et al.: Near Earth Asteroids with measurable Yarkovsky effect. Icarus 224, 1-13 (2013)
  75. Milani, A., Knezevic, Z., Farnocchia, D., et al.: Identification of known objects in solar system surveys. Icarus 220, 114-123 (2012)
  76. Farnocchia, D., Bernardi, F., Valsecchi, G.B.: Efficiency of a wide-area survey in achieving short- and long-term warning for small impactors. Icarus 219, 41-47 (2012)
  77. Milani, A., Farnocchia, D., Dimare, L., Rossi, A., Bernardi, F.: Innovative observing strategy and orbit determination for Low Earth Orbit Space Debris. Planetary and Space Science 62, 10-22 (2012)
  78. Milani, A., Tommei, G., Farnocchia, D., et al.: Orbit determination of space objects based on sparse optical data. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society 417, 2094-2103 (2011)
  79. Gronchi, G.F., Farnocchia, D., Dimare, L.: Orbit Determination with the two-body Integrals. II. Celestial Mechanics and Dynamical Astronomy 110, 257-270 (2011)
  80. Farnocchia, D., Tommei, G., Milani, A., Rossi, A.: Innovative methods of correlation and orbit determination for space debris. Celestial Mechanics and Dynamical Astronomy 107, 169-185 (2010)
  81. Milani, A., Gronchi, G.F., Farnocchia, D., et al.: Topocentric Orbit Determination: Algorithms for the Next Generation Surveys. Icarus 195, 474-492 (2008)