Bin Yang
Assistant Professor
I am an assistant professor at IEA. The primary focus of my research has been the characterization of primitive small bodies (i.e., asteroids and comets), over a wide range of wavelengths, using diverse observing techniques.
Proyectos
- Near-infrared spectroscopic surveys of short- and long-period comets use a suite of cutting-edge observatories—including JWST, VLT, Magellan, Gemini, and IRTF—to investigate the composition and evolutionary diversity of cometary nuclei. These observations address key questions about the thermal structure of the early solar nebula and the conditions that shaped the formation of the protoplanetary disk.
- Thermal emission mapping of cometary dust with ALMA Bands 1, 3, 4, 6, and 7 focuses on millimeter- to centimeter-sized grains that dominate the coma mass. This study constrains grain size, composition, and spatial distribution, offering insight into the growth and evolution of solids in protoplanetary disks both in our solar system and around other stars.
- High-resolution imaging of asteroids and comets is conducted with extreme adaptive optics systems such as SPHERE at the VLT. For large asteroids (D > 100 km), determining shape, size, and surface morphology is key to understanding their internal structure, collisional history, and thermal evolution. For comets, imaging constrains nucleus properties and reveals nearby jets or fragments, providing insight into activity mechanisms and the physical processes that govern small-body evolution.
Highlights
- Minor planet (9723) named BinYang
- Our ALMA observations of the first interstellar comet 2I/Borisov revealed evidence of strong radial mixing in its home system.
Featured in joint ESO–ALMA press release - Our team conducted a comprehensive spectroscopic study of the first interstellar visitor, 1I/‘Oumuamua, revealing an organic-rich surface.
Published in Nature Astronomy - SPHERE/VLT observations of asteroid (130) Elektra revealed the first known quadruple asteroid system, with three moons orbiting a single main body.
Featured in The New York Times
Publications
Actividades extracurriculares
I like hiking, badminton, reading, and watching movies.
Contact me
bin.yang [at] mail.udp.cl