Astronomy and Astrophysics – Astronomy
Scientific paper
Oct 2010
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2010dps....42.2309d&link_type=abstract
American Astronomical Society, DPS meeting #42, #23.09; Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, Vol. 42, p.992
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Astronomy
Scientific paper
The peculiar TNO (90377) Sedna is one of the most remote solar system objects accessible to investigations (current heliocentric distance 88AU). This dwarf planet is one of the reddest objects following the taxonomic group RR.
To better constrain its surface composition and to investigate the possible heterogeneity of the surface of Sedna, several observations have been carried out at ESO-VLT with the powerful spectrometer SINFONI, which observes the H and K bands simultaneously. Even if Sedna, given its faintness, was at the limit of observations, the new analyzed spectra (obtained in 2005, 2007, and 2008) show a different behavior, particularly in the K band. Spectral modeling using the Shkuratov radiative transfer method has been performed using the various sets of data, including visible and Spitzer data, for a large wavelength range 0.4-4.5 microns, and the albedo value (0.21) estimated by Stansberry et al. (2008). We find that the surface of Sedna is not completely homogeneous. The visible and near-IR spectra can be modeled with organic materials (triton and titan tholin), serpentine, and H2O ice in fairly significant amounts, and CH4, N2 and C2H6 in varying trace amounts. One of the spectra, showing a different signature in the K-band, observed as part of the October 2005 group of data, is best modeled with CH3OH in place of CH4, with reduced amounts of serpentine and with the addition of olivine.
The compositional surface heterogeneity can give clues to the origin and past history of this peculiar distant object.
Alvarez-Candal Alvaro
Barucci Marco
Cruikshank Dale P.
Dalle Ore Cristina Morea
de Bergh Catherine
No associations
LandOfFree
(90377) Sedna: Heterogeneous Surface Composition does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this scientific paper.
If you have personal experience with (90377) Sedna: Heterogeneous Surface Composition, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and (90377) Sedna: Heterogeneous Surface Composition will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-1122277