Astronomy and Astrophysics – Astronomy
Scientific paper
Dec 2010
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2010aj....140.2095b&link_type=abstract
The Astronomical Journal, Volume 140, Issue 6, pp. 2095-2100 (2010).
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Astronomy
3
Kuiper Belt Objects: Individual: Sedna, Oort Cloud, Planets And Satellites: Formation, Techniques: Spectroscopic
Scientific paper
The dwarf planet (90377) Sedna is one of the most remote solar system objects accessible to investigations. 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 observing simultaneously the H and K bands. The analyzed spectra (obtained in 2005, 2007, and 2008) show a non-uniform spectral signature, particularly in the K band. Spectral modeling using the Shkuratov radiative transfer code for surface scattering has been performed using the various sets of data, including previous observations at visible wavelengths and photometry at 3.6 and 4.5 μm by the Spitzer Space Telescope. The visible and near-infrared 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 obtained in 2005 October shows a different signature in the K band and 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 input on the past history as well clues to the origin of this peculiar, distant object.
Based on observations obtained at the VLT Observatory Cerro Paranal of European Southern Observatory, ESO, Chile, in the framework of proposal 275.C-5055 and Large Program 178-C-0036/0867.
Alvarez-Candal Alvaro
Barucci Maria-Antonella
Cruikshank Dale
de Bergh Catherine
Dumas Cédric
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