Joshua P. Emery

See Also: Dr. Emery's CV

Research Interest

The overarching theme that motivates my research in planetary science is discovering how our Solar System formed and evolved to its present state.  My particular niche in this broad theme is determining surface compositions of planetary bodies and interpreting them in terms of surface alteration mechanisms and, ultimately, formation conditions.  Of particular interest is investigating the distribution of organic material in the Solar System.  As an observational planetary astronomer, the main techniques that I apply are reflection and emission spectroscopy and spectrophotometry using ground-based telescopes, space-based telescopes, and interplanetary spacecraft.  Targets of my research have spanned the Solar System, from the innermost terrestrial planet (Mercury) to the farthest reaches of the Kuiper Belt (Sedna).

Current projects include:

• Jupiter Trojan asteroids – These have been a strong focus of my research because they are a key group for distinguishing several models of Solar System evolution and for understanding the distribution of organic material.
• Near-infrared spectroscopy of outer Main Belt asteroids (UT PhD student: Driss Takir).
• Reflectance spectrophotometry of Kuiper Belt objects (UT undergraduate student: Daine Wright).
• Thermal and mineralogical characterization of V-type asteroids, M-type asteroids, extinct comets, and primitive asteroids.
• Thermal and near-infrared observations of near-Earth asteroids.
• Analysis of the composition, structure, and surface temperatures of the three icy Galilean moons of Jupiter from New Horizons spacecraft data.

Recent Publications

Dalle Ore, C.M., M.A. Barucci, J.P. Emery, D.P. Cruikshank, et al. 2009. Composition of KBO (50000) Quaoar. Astron. Astrophys. 501, 349-357.

Campins, H., J.P. Emery, M. Kelley, Y. Fernàndez, J. Licandro, M. Delbó, A. Barucci, E. Dotto 2009. Spitzer observations of spacecraft target 162173 (1999 JU3). Astron & Astrophys 503, L17-L20.

Descamps, P., F. Marchis, J. Durech, J.P. Emery, et al. 2009. New insights on the binary asteroid 121 Hermione, Icarus 203, 88-101.

Barucci, M.A., M.E. Brown, J.P. Emery, F. Merlin 2008.  Composition and surface properties of transneptunian objects and Centaurs.  In The Solar System Beyond Neptune (ed. M.A. Barucci, H. Boehnhardt, D.P. Cruikshank, A. Morbidelli), Univ. Ariz. Press, Tucson, 143-160.

Dotto, E., J.P. Emery, M.A. Barucci, A. Morbidelli, D.P. Cruikshank 2008. De Troianis: The Trojans in the planetary system. In The Solar System Beyond Neptune (ed. M.A. Barucci, H. Boehnhardt, D.P. Cruikshank, A. Morbidelli), Univ. Ariz. Press, Tucson, 383-396.

Emery, J.P. C. Dalle Ore, D.P. Cruikshank, Y.R. Fernandez, D.E. Trilling, J.A. Stansberry 2007. Ices on (90377) Sedna: Confirmation and compositional constraints. A&A 466, 395-398.

Grundy, W.M., B.J. Buratti, A.F. Cheng, J.P. Emery, et al. 2007.  New Horizons mapping of Europa and Ganymede. Science 318, 234-237.

Cruikshank, D.P., M.A. Barucci, J.P. Emery, Y.R. Fernandez, W.M. Grundy, K.S. Noll, J.A. Stansberry 2007. Physical properties of Trans-Neptunian objects. In Protostars and Planets V. (B. Reiputh, D. Jewitt, K. Keil, Eds.), Univ. Ariz. Press, Tucson, 879-891.

Emery, J.P., D.P. Cruikshank, J. Van Cleve 2006. Thermal emission spectroscopy (5.2 – 38 mm) of three Trojan asteroids with the Spitzer Space Telescope: Detection of fine-grained silicates. Icarus 182, 496-512.

Stansberry, J.A., W.M. Grundy, J.L. Margot, D.P. Cruikshank, J.P. Emery, G.H. Rieke, D.T. Trilling 2006. The albedo, size and density of binary Kuiper Belt object (47171) 1999 TC36, ApJ, 643, 556-566.

Burr, D.M., J.P.Emery, R.D. Lorenz, G.C. Collins, P.A. Carling 2006.  Sediment transport by liquid surficial flow:  Application to Titan. Icarus, 181, 235-242.

Warell, J., A.L. Sprague, J.P. Emery, R.W.H. Kozlowski, A. Long 2006. The 0.7 – 5.3 mm IR spectra of Mercury and the Moon: Evidence for high-Ca clinopyroxene on Mercury. Icarus 180, 281-291.

Contact Information

Joshua P. Emery
Research Assistant Professor
Planetary Science

Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences
1412 Circle Drive
Knoxville, TN 37996-1410

Phone: (865) 974-8039
Email: jemery2@utk.edu