Biography
Dr. Fernandez received his Ph.D. in Astronomy from University of Maryland, College Park, in 1999. He spent 3-years (1999-2002) as a Scientific Researcher and 3-years (2002-2005) as a SIRTF/Spitzer Fellow in University of Hawai’i before joining UCF in 2005, where he is an Associate Professor of Physics.
Research Areas
My area of research is comets and asteroids, which I have been studying since 1994. I am interested in the composition and physical properties of these objects, and how they compare to each other and other objects in the Solar System. Why? Because Small Bodies can tell us about the origin of the Solar System — what were the compositional and thermophysical conditions in the solar nebula and in the protoplanetary disk? Understanding the origin of the Solar System is the overall “big picture” question that I (and many planetary scientists) work toward. However to understand what the small bodies tell us about our origins, we need to know what has happened to these objects in the intervening 4.6 billion years sinice they formed. In other words, I study cometary and asteroidal evolution. This is not an easy task, but it is an interesting question in its own right, and it is critical if we are to make sense of what the Solar System is like today.
Research Opportunities for Students
Publications
◦— Book:
• LSST Science Collaboration: P. A. Abell et al., including Y. R. Fern ́ndez 2009. LSST Science Book, Version 2.0. LSST Corporation, Tucson. arXiv:0912.0201, http://www.lsst.org/lsst/scibook
◦— Book Chapter:
• Y. R. Fern ́ndez et al. 2014. Asteroids and Comets. In Treatise on Geophysics, 2nd Edition (G. Schubert, Ed.-in-Chief), Vol. 10 (T. Spohn, Ed.), Elsevier, in press.
• D. P. Cruikshank et al., including Y. R. Fern ́ndez 2007. Physical properties of trans-neptunian objects. In Protostars and Planets V (B. Reipurth et al., Eds.), U. Ariz. Press, Tucson, pp. 879-893.
• P. L. Lamy et al., including Y. R. Fern ́ndez 2005. The sizes, shapes, albedos, and colors of cometary nuclei. In Comets II (M. Festou et al., Eds.), U. Ariz. Press, Tucson, pp. 223–264.
• D. C. Jewitt, Y. R. Fern ́ndez 2001. Physical properties of planet-crossing objects. In Collisional Processes in the Solar System (H. Rickman and M. Marov Eds.), Kluwer, Dordrecht, pp. 143–161.
◦— Journal Articles:
• Y. R. Fern ́ndez et al. 2013. Thermal properties, sizes, and size distribution of Jupiter-Family cometary nuclei. Icarus 226, 1138-1170.
• Y. R. Fern ́ndez 2009. That’s the way the comet crumbles: Splitting Jupiter-family comets. Planetary & Space Science 57, 1218-1227.
• Y. R. Fern ́ndez, D. Jewitt, J. E. Ziffer 2009. Albedos of small Jovian Trojans. Astronomical J. 138, 240-250.
• Y. R. Fern ́ndez et al. 2007. Near-infrared light curve of comet 9P/Tempel 1 during Deep Impact. Icarus 187, 220-227. (Reprinted in Icarus 191S, 424-431.)
• Y. R. Fern ́ndez et al. 2006. Comet 162P/Siding Spring: A surprisingly large nucleus. Astronomical J. 132, 1354-1360.
• Y. R. Fern ́ndez, D. C. Jewitt, S. S. Sheppard 2005. Albedos of asteroids in comet-like orbits. Astronomical J. 130, 308-318.
• Y. R. Fern ́ndez et al. 2005. New near-aphelion light curves of comet 2P/Encke. Icarus 175, 194-214.
• Y. R. Fern ́ndez, S. S. Sheppard, D. C. Jewitt 2003. The albedo distribution of Jovian Trojan asteroids. Astronomical J. 126, 1563-1574.
• Y. R. Fern ́ndez et al. 2003. The nucleus of Deep Impact target comet 9P/Tempel 1. Icarus 164, 481-491. (Reprinted in Icarus 191S, 11-21.)
• Y. R. Fern ́ndez 2002. The nucleus of comet Hale-Bopp: size and activity. Earth Moon & Planets 89, 3-25.
• Y. R. Fern ́ndez, D. C. Jewitt, S. S. Sheppard 2002. Thermal properties of Centaurs Asbolus and Chiron. Astronomical J. 123, 1050-1055.
• Y. R. Fern ́ndez, D. C. Jewitt, S. S. Sheppard 2001. Low albedos among extinct comet candidates. Astrophysical J. 553, L197-L200.
• Y. R. Fern ́ndez et al. 2000. Physical properties of the nucleus of comet 2P/Encke. Icarus 147, 145-160.
• E. A. Kramer, Y. R. Fern ́ndez, et al. 2014. A dynamical analysis of the dust tail of comet C/1995 O1 (Hale-Bopp) at high heliocentric distances. Icarus 236, 136.
• J. P. Emery et al., including Y. R. Fern ́ndez 2014. Thermal infrared observations and thermophysical characterization of OSIRIS-REx target asteroid (101955) Bennu. Icarus 234, 17.
• M. S. Kelley, Y. R. Fern ́ndez, et al. 2013. The persistent activity of Jupiter-family comets at 3-7 AU. Icarus 225, 475.
• J. M. Bauer et al., including Y. R. Fern ́ndez 2013. Centaurs and scattered disk objects in the thermal infrared: Analysis of WISE/NEOWISE observations. Astrophys. J. 773, 22.
• K. J. Meech et al., including Y. R. Fern ́ndez 2013. The demise of comet 85P/Boethin, the first EPOXI mission target. Icarus 222, 662.
• A. S. Rivkin et al., including Y. R. Fern ́ndez 2013. The NEO (175706) 1996 FG3 in the 2-4 μm spectral region: Evidence for an aqueously altered surface. Icarus 223, 493.
• L. O’Rourke et al., including Y. R. Fern ́ndez 2013. Determination of an upper limit for the water outgassing rate of main-belt comet P/2012 T1 (PANSTARRS). Astrophys. J. 774, L13.
• J. M. Bauer et al., including Y. R. Fern ́ndez 2012. WISE/NEOWISE preliminary analysis and highlights of the 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko near nucleus environs. Astrophys. J. 758, 18.
• J. M. Bauer et al., including Y. R. Fern ́ndez 2012. WISE/NEOWISE observations of active bodies in the Main Belt. Astrophys. J. 747, 49.
• H. H. Hsieh et al., including Y. R. Fern ́ndez 2012. Discovery of main-belt comet P/2006 VW139 by Pan-STARRS1. Astrophys. J. 748, L15.
• H. Campins et al., including Y. R. Fern ́ndez 2012. Spectra of asteroid families in support of Gaia. Plan. & Sp. Sci. 73, 95.
• J. Licandro et al., including Y. R. Fern ́ndez 2012. 5-14 μm Spitzer spectra of Themis family asteroids. Astron. & Astrophys. 537, 73
• J. M. Bauer et al., including Y. R. Fern ́ndez 2011. WISE/NEOWISE observations of comet 103P/Hartley 2. Astrophys. J. 738, 171.
• K. J. Meech et al., including Y. R. Fern ́ndez 2011. EPOXI: 103P/Hartley 2 observations from a worldwide campaign. Astrophys. J. 734, L1.
• J. Ziffer et al., including Y. R. Fern ́ndez 2011. Near-infrared spectroscopy of primitive asteroid families. it Icarus 213, 538.
• C. Magri et al., including Y. R. Fern ́ndez 2011. Radar and photometric observations and shape modeling of contact binary near-Earth asteroid (8567) 1996 HW1. Icarus 214, 210.
• K. J. Meech et al., including Y. R. Fern ́ndez 2011. Deep Impact, Stardust-NExT and the Behavior of Comet 9P/Tempel 1 from 1997-2010. Icarus 213, 323.
• M. J. S. Belton et al., including Y. R. Fern ́ndez 2011. Stardust-NExT, Deep Impact, and the accelerating spin of 9P/Tempel 1. Icarus 213, 345.
• H. Campins et al., including Y. R. Fern ́ndez 2010. Water ice and organics on the surface of the asteroid 24 Themsi. Nature 464, 1320-1321.
• J. Licandro et al., including Y. R. Fern ́ndez 2009. Spitzer observations of the asteroid-comet transition object and potential spacecraft target 107P/(4015) Wilson-Harrington. Astron. & Astrophys. 507, 1667-1670.
• C. M. Lisse et al., including Y. R. Fern ́ndez 2009. Spitzer Space Telescope observations of the nucleus of comet 103P/Hartley 2. Publ. Astron. Soc. Pacific 121, 968-975.
• H. H. Hsieh, D. Jewitt, Y. R. Fern ́ndez 2009. Albedos of main-belt comets 133P/ElstPizarro and 176P/LINEAR. Astrophys. J. 694, L111-L114.
• H. Campins et al., including Y. R. Fern ́ndez 2009. Spitzer observations of spacecraft target 162173 (1999 JU3). Astron. & Astrophys. 503, L17-L20.
• H. Campins et al., including Y. R. Fern ́ndez 2009. Low-perihelion near-Earth asteorids. Earth Moon & Planets 105, 159-165.
• O. Groussin et al., including Y. R. Fern ́ndez 2009. The size and thermal properties of the nucleus of comet 22P/Kopff. Icarus 199, 568-570.
• N. Dello Russo et al., including Y. R. Fern ́ndez 2008. The volatile composition of
comet 17P/Holmes after its extraordinary outburst. Astrophysical J. 680, 793-802.
• J. M. Bauer et al., including Y. R. Fern ́ndez 2008. The large-grained dust coma of a
174P/Echeclus. Publ. Astronomical Society of the Pacific 120, 393-404.
• J. P. Emery et al., including Y. R. Fern ́ndez 2007. Ices on (90377) Sedna: Confirmation and compositional constraints. Astronomy & Astrophys. 466, 395-398.
• C. M. Lisse et al., including Y. R. Fern ́ndez 2006. Spitzer spectral observations of a
the Deep Impact ejecta. Science 313, 635-640.
• H. U. K ̈ufl et al., including Y. R. Fern ́ndez 2006. Pre-impact mid-IR and optical a
observations of comet 9P/Tempel 1. Earth Moon & Planets 97, 331-339.
• J. E. Ziffer et al., including Y. R. Fern ́ndez 2006. Near-infrared spectra of two asteroids with low Tisserand invariant. Earth Moon & Planets 97, 203-212.
• H. Campins et al., including Y. R. Fern ́ndez 2006. Nuclear spectra of comet 162P/Siding Spring (2004 TU12 ). Astronomical J. 132, 1346-1353.
• P. A. Abell, Y. R. Fern ́ndez, et al. 2005. Physical characteristics of comet nucleus C/2001 OG108 (LONEOS). Icarus 179, 174-194.
• K. J. Meech et al., including Y. R. Fern ́ndez 2005. Deep Impact: Observations from a world-wide Earth-based campaign. Science 310, 265-269.
• C. M. Lisse et al., including Y. R. Fern ́ndez 2005. Rotationally resolved 8-35 μm Spitzer Space Telescope observations of the nucleus of comet 9P/Tempel 1. Astrophysical J. 625, L139-L142.
• D. P. Cruikshank et al., including Y. R. Fern ́ndez 2005. The high-albedo Kuiper Belt object (55565) 2002 AW197 . Astrophysical J. 624, L53-L56.
• M. J. S. Belton et al., including Y. R. Fern ́ndez 2005. The excited spin state of comet 2P/Encke. Icarus, 175, 181-193.
• K. J. Meech et al., including Y. R. Fern ́ndez 2005. The Deep Impact Earth-based campaign. Space Science Reviews 117, 297-334.
• M. J. S. Belton et al., including Y. R. Fern ́ndez 2005. Deep Impact: Working properties for the target nucleus – comet 9P/Tempel 1. Space Science Reviews 117, 137-160.
• J. A. Stansberry et al., including Y. R. Fern ́ndez 2004. Spitzer observations of the dust coma and nucleus of 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 1. Astrophysical J. Supplement 154, 463-468.
• C. M. Lisse, Y. R. Fern ́ndez, et al. 2004. A tale of two very different comets: ISO and MSX measurements of dust emission from 126P/IRAS (1996) and 2P/Encke (1997). Icarus 171, 444-462.
• H. H. Shieh, D. C. Jewitt, Y. R. Fern ́ndez 2004. The strange case of 133P/Elst-Pizarro: A comet amongst the asteroids. Astronomical J. 127, 2997-3017.
• J. M. Bauer et al., including Y. R. Fern ́ndez 2003. Physical survey of 24 Centaurs a
with visible photometry. Icarus 166, 195-211.
• J. M. Bauer et al., including Y. R. Fern ́ndez 2003. An optical survey of active Centaur C/NEAT (2001 T4). Publ. Astronomical Society of the Pacific 115, 981-989.
• D. C. Jewitt, S. S. Sheppard, Y. R. Fern ́ndez 2003. 143P/Kowal-Mrkos and the shapes of cometary nuclei. Astronomical J. 125, 3366-3377.
• H. Campins and Y. R. Fern ́ndez 2002. Surface characteristics of cometary nuclei. Earth Moon & Planets 89, 117-134.
• J. M. Bauer et al., including Y. R. Fern ́ndez 2002. Observations of the centaur 1999 UG5 : Evidence of a unique outer Solar System surface. Publ. Astronomical Society of the Pacific 114, 1309-1321.
• C. M. Lisse et al., including Y. R. Fern ́ndez 2002. Discovery of an extremely red object in the field of HD 155826. Astrophysical J. 570, 779-784.
◦— Book Article:
• Y. R. Fern ́ndez et al. 2006. Review of Spitzer Space Telescope observations of small bodies. In Asteroids, Comets, and Meteors: Proceedings of the International Astronomical Union Symposium 229 (D. Lazzaro et al., Eds.), Cambridge Univ. Press, Cambridge, pp.
121-131.
• I. M. Coulson et al., including Y. R. Fern ́ndez 2009. JCMT observations of the Deep Impact event. In Deep Impact as a World Observatory Event: Synergies in Space, Time, and Wavelength (H. U. K ̈ufl and C. Sterken Eds.), Springer, Berlin, pp. 69–72.
• J. Pittichova, Y. R. Fern ́ndez, K. J. Meech 2009. Dust evolution of comet 9P/Temple 1. In Deep Impact as a World Observatory Event: Synergies in Space, Time, and Wavelength (H. U. K ̈ufl and C. Sterken Eds.), Springer, Berlin, pp. 317–322.
• C. M. Lisse et al., including Y. R. Fern ́ndez 2007. Planetary science goals for the Spitzer warm era. In The Science Opportunities of the Warm Spitzer Mission Workshop (L. J. Storrie-Lombardi and N. A. Silberman, Eds.), AIP, Melville, NY, pp. 184–212.
• D. P. Cruikshank et al., including Y. R. Fern ́ndez 2006. Solar System observations with Spitzer Space Telescope. In The Spitzer Space Telescope: New Views of the Cosmos (L. Armus and W. T. Reach, Eds.), Astron. Soc. Pacific, San Francisco, pp. 23–30.
• C. M. Lisse et al., including Y. R. Fern ́ndez 2002. A search for trends in cometary dust emission. In Dust in the Solar System and Other Planetary Systems (S. F. Green, I. P. Williams, J. A. M. McDonnell, N. McBride, Eds.), Pergamon, pp.259-268.
Courses Taught
