- Erik Ian Asphaug
Erik Ian Asphaug is a
planetary science professor at theUniversity of California, Santa Cruz . Asphaug received hisbachelor's degree inmathematics and English fromRice University and hisPhD inplanetary science from theUniversity of Arizona .The 1998 recipient of the
H. C. Urey Prize from theAmerican Astronomical Society , Asphaug is at the forefront of scientists studying the "rubble pile" composition of mostasteroids and the implications of such composition on efforts to divert asteroids from striking theEarth . Asphaug has also worked withUrey Prize winnerRobin M. Canup to develop new theories on how theMoon was formed.Asteroid
7939 Asphaug was named in his honor.External links
* [http://www.es.ucsc.edu/personnel/Asphaug/ Asphaug's web page at UCSC]
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