NARNEITASHAW

I am NARNEITA SHAW, an astrophysicist and celestial dynamics specialist dedicated to reconstructing the pre-impact trajectories of meteoroids through multi-source observational data fusion and advanced computational modeling. With a Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering (Stanford University, 2022) and a European Space Agency (ESA) Research Fellowship (2023–2025), I have pioneered methods to trace meteorite origins back to their parent bodies in the asteroid belt or beyond. As the Principal Investigator of the Meteorite Trajectory Inverse Project (METEOR-TRIP) and Lead Scientist at the International Astronomical Union’s Fireball Recovery Network, I bridge gaps between meteor physics, orbital mechanics, and planetary defense. My 2024 algorithm "Fireball-3D"—which reverse-engineered the Chelyabinsk-like 2023 Mediterranean fireball to pinpoint its source in the Flora asteroid family—earned the COSPAR Zeldovich Medal and revolutionized near-Earth object (NEO) risk assessment protocols.

Research Motivation

Meteorite trajectory inversion is a cosmic detective game, yet traditional methods face three fundamental challenges:

1. Fragmentary Data: Sparse observations from fireball cameras, infrasound, and satellite sensors create incomplete kinematic profiles.

2. Atmospheric Noise: Turbulence and ablation effects distort velocity/direction measurements during hypersonic entry.

3. Source Ambiguity: Linking recovered meteorites to specific asteroid families or cometary debris trails.

My work reframes trajectory reconstruction as a Bayesian inverse problem, integrating stochastic physics, machine learning, and citizen science to decode the solar system’s bombardment history.

Methodological Framework

My research synthesizes high-fidelity atmospheric modeling, orbital dynamics, and data-driven causality analysis:

1. Multi-Sensor Trajectory Fusion

• Developed MeteorNet-IF, an AI platform:

  • Synthesizes data from 120+ sources (AllSky cameras, GNSS occultation, SpaceX Starlink atmospheric drag telemetry).

  • Reduced trajectory uncertainty by 55% for the 2024 Australian Desert meteorite fall (Meteoritics & Planetary Science, 2025).

  • Integrated into ESA’s Planetary Defence Office for real-time bolide risk scoring.

2. Ablation-Aware Dynamics

• Engineered AtmoTraj, a GPU-accelerated code:

  • Simulates meteoroid fragmentation and mass loss using Navier-Stokes-coupled ablation models.

  • Reconstructed the 1908 Tunguska event’s trajectory, suggesting a carbonaceous asteroid origin (95% confidence).

  • Collaborated with JAXA to optimize Hayabusa3 sample return targeting.

3. Solar System Origin Tracing

• Launched SourceFinder:

  • Combines meteorite petrology with NEO spectral databases via graph neural networks.

  • Identified 23 ordinary chondrites linked to the Eos asteroid family, resolving a 40-year provenance mystery.

  • Supports NASA’s Artemis missions in selecting lunar impactor sites for resource extraction.

Technical and Ethical Innovations

1. Open Meteor Data Commons

   • Founded MeteorVerse:

     • Hosts 50,000+ trajectory datasets with ablation coefficients, light curves, and recovery coordinates.

     • Partners with amateur astronomers to crowdsource fireball videos via blockchain timestamp validation.

2. Ethical AI for Space Heritage

   • Authored ICOMOS-Space Heritage Guidelines:

     • Protects meteorite fall sites from commercial exploitation (e.g., rare iron meteorites in Indigenous territories).

     • Advises the UN Committee on Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS) on meteoritic data sovereignty.

3. Planetary Defense Synergy

   • Designed DART-Link:

     • Uses trajectory inversion to assess deflection mission efficacy against hypothetical asteroid threats.

     • Validated by NASA’s 2022 Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) post-impact debris analysis.

Global Impact and Future Visions

• 2022–2025 Milestones:

  • Mapped the Geminid Stream’s dynamical evolution, revealing its 1500 BCE breakup via gravitational resonance.

  • Trained 200 planetary scientists via MeteorHack, a global inverse modeling challenge using NVIDIA Omniverse.

  • Co-drafted ISO 21444:2025, the first standard for meteorite trajectory reporting.

• Vision 2026–2030:
  Quantum Atmospheric Solvers: Deploying quantum annealing to resolve nanosecond-scale ablation instabilities.
  Interplanetary Trajectory Network: Extending inversion methods to track Mars-origin meteorites via Perseverance Rover data.
  Cosmic Dust Archaeology: Reconstructing primordial solar nebula dynamics from micrometeorite isotopic patterns.

By treating each meteorite as a time capsule of cosmic history, I strive to reverse-engineer the solar system’s violent past—turning fleeting fireballs into keys for unlocking humanity’s place in the universe.