The Fresh Icy Surfaces of Pluto-sized Trans-Neptunian Objects

Details The Fresh Icy Surfaces of Pluto-sized Trans-Neptunian Objects The Fresh Icy Surfaces of Pluto-sized Trans-Neptunian Objects

Sep 2006

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2006dps....38.4004r&link_type=abstract

American Astronomical Society, DPS meeting #38, #40.04; Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, Vol. 38, p.556

Astronomy and Astrophysics

Astronomy

Scientific paper

We have been monitoring Trans-Neptunian objects (TNOs) with the SMARTS 1.3m telescope at Cerro Tololo to determine colors, solar phase curves, and rotation periods[1]. To date we have observed the phase curves of over 30 distant bodies, including 20 TNOs, 7 Centaurs, and Nereid. Here we present observations showing that the new Pluto-sized bodies (2003 UB313, 2005 FY9, and 2003 EL61), like Pluto, all have flat phase phase curves and neutral visible colors compared with smaller TNOs. Since these large bodies, including Pluto, are known to have high albedos and reflectance spectra dominated by the presence of methane or water ice, we suggest that the flat phase curves and neutral visible colors we observe are the result of recent resurfacing. This could be caused by surface sublimation at perihelion followed by freeze out at aphelion. Smaller TNOs with similar orbits would not retain an icy covering owing to a surface gravity to weak to retain the sublimated volatiles. It follows that there is a threshold size below which TNOs will have lower albedos and redder colors owing to long-term surface weathering.
[1] D. Rabinowitz, B. Schaefer, and S. Tourtellote, 2006, submitted to AJ.
This work as supported by the NASA.

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