Astronomy and Astrophysics – Astronomy
Scientific paper
Sep 2008
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2008dps....40.4505f&link_type=abstract
American Astronomical Society, DPS meeting #40, #45.05; Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, Vol. 40, p.479
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Astronomy
Scientific paper
After four years of nominal mission, VIMS has observed the whole population of Saturnian icy objects allowing a comparative analysis of the VIS-NIR spectral properties of the regular satellites (Mimas, Enceladus, Tethys, Dione, Rhea, Hyperion, Iapetus, Phoebe), minor moons (Atlas, Prometheus, Pandora, Janus, Epimetheus, Telesto, Calypso) and main rings (A, B, C and Cassini division). The results we present are derived from the whole dataset available at june 2008 which consists of about 1500 full-disk observations of the moons as well as several radial mosaics of the ring system. The most important spectrophotometric indicators (I/F continua, VIS spectral slopes, water and carbon dioxide IR bands strengths and positions) are calculated for each observation in order to identify the disk-integrated compositional units of the satellites, the distribution of water ice respect to "contaminants” abundances and typical regolith grain properties for both satellites and rings. These quantities are varying between the almost pure water ice surfaces of Enceladus and Calypso to the organic and carbon dioxide rich Hyperion, Iapetus and Phoebe. Some significant differences are detected in the VIS colors of co-orbital moons Epimetheus and Janus, with the first very red and therefore similar to Hyperion while the last is more "neutral” these results could help to decipher the origins and evolutional story of these two moons. The water ice band strengths of the A-B rings are the most intense of the Saturnian system denoting a minimal presence of "contaminants” which can be estimated thanks to the 350-520 nm spectral slope. Finally we compare these spectral parameters with some TNOs and outer solar system objects (1995UG5, 90377-Sedna, 1996TO66, Pholus, Triton, Charon, Oberon, Titania) to search for possible analogies.
This research was possible thanks to the support of the Italian Space Agency (ASI).
Brown Harvey R.
Buratti Bonnie Jean
Capaccioni Fabrizio
Cerroni Pricilla
Clark Roger Nelson
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