Alan W. Harris

Papers

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About

Alan W. Harris is a leading figure in planetary science, renowned for his foundational contributions to our understanding of the rotational dynamics of small Solar System bodies. His primary research areas encompass the physical properties of asteroids, comets, and trans-Neptunian objects (TNOs), with a particular focus on how their spin rates reveal their internal structure, collisional history, and evolution. Harris’s most cited work, “Rotational properties of asteroids, comets and TNOs” (2005, 21 citations), provides a landmark synthesis of decades of observational data. In this study, he documented a dramatic increase in reliably determined rotation rates—from 157 in 1979 to 1,686 by 2005—and identified key emerging patterns, such as the spin-rate dispersion among larger asteroids. This work has been instrumental in shaping modern theories of asteroid strength, binary formation, and the Yarkovsky–O’Keefe–Radzievskii–Paddack (YORP) effect. Beyond this paper, Harris is widely recognized for his pioneering efforts in asteroid lightcurve photometry and for co-developing the “Harris method” for deriving rotation periods. His sustained impact is reflected in a career spanning over four decades, during which he has helped transform asteroid science from a niche field into a cornerstone of planetary defense and Solar System evolution studies.