Paolo Farinella (1953-2000) was an extraordinary scientist and person who carried out seminal research in many disciplines, from planetary science to space geodesy and fundamental physics. To honor his memory a prize has been established in 2011, to be awarded to scientists who gave outstanding contributions in the fields of interest of Paolo. The prize is under the patronage of the European Planetary Science Society and it is assigned during the EPSC annual meetings.
The topic for the 2023 edition of the Paolo Farinella Prize is: “From superbolides to meteorites: physics and dynamics of small planetary impactors”, thus addressing the recent advances in predicting meteorite falls and encompassing also the study of meteor showers and of the cratering events on the solid bodies of the solar system.
“As of today, I’m still working on some research topics that resulted from the always lively and inspiring discussions with Paolo. I am therefore honoured to chair the commission that will award the 2023 Farinella Prize” – says Ettore Perozzi, ASI Science and Research Directorate.
The deadline for submission is set on 1 May 2023 (below you can find the prize call and submission form) and the winner will be celebrated during the joint EPSC/DPS (Department for Planetary Science) congress in San Antonio (Texas, USA) next October.
Figure: Asteroid 2023 CX1 entering Earth's atmosphere captured in the skies over the southern Netherlands. Credit: Gijs de Reijke
