Harold F. Levison
Institute Scientist
- A.B. in Physics, Franklin and Marshall College, 1981.
- M.S. in Astronomy, The University of Michigan, 1983.
- Ph.D. in Astronomy, The University of Michigan, 1986.
Dr. Levison's principal research interests lie in the area of the
dynamics of astronomical objects. In particular, he focuses on the
formation and long-term behavior of the solar system bodies.
Dr. Levison's work includes studies of the formation of both giant and
terrestrial planets, the long-term dynamical behavior of comets, the
dynamics of objects in the Kuiper belt, the origin and stability of
Trojan asteroids, and the formation of satellites. In 1997, he, with
Martin Duncan, predicted the existence of the Scattered Comet Disk.
He is perhaps best known, however, for his work on the early dynamical
evolution of the outer Solar System, and is an author of the most
comprehensive model to date.
Dr. Levison is also the co-author of SWIFT ,
which is a software package for integrating orbits of solar system
bodies. SWIFT is freely available and will run on most UNIX
workstations.
Click here for a PDF file of Hal's vita.
(Last Updated: 2013 Oct.)
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