Optical Spectroscopy of the Icy Dwarf Planet 136472 (2005 FY9)

Details Optical Spectroscopy of the Icy Dwarf Planet 136472 (2005 FY9) Optical Spectroscopy of the Icy Dwarf Planet 136472 (2005 FY9)

Oct 2007

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2007dps....39.4903t&link_type=abstract

American Astronomical Society, DPS meeting #39, #49.03; Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, Vol. 39, p.509

Physics

Geophysics

Scientific paper

We present optical spectra of 2005 FY9 taken with the Red Channel Spectrograph and the 6.5-m MMT telescope on 2006 March 4 UT (5000-9500 A; 6.38 A per pixel) and 2007 February 12 UT (6600-8500 A; 1.93 A per pixel). From a cross correlation experiment between the 2006 March 4 spectrum and a pure CH4-ice Hapke model, we found the CH4-ice bands in the MMT spectrum are blueshifted by 3.1 +\- 1.9 A relative to bands in a pure CH4-ice spectrum. We found the bands were blueshifted by 3.3 +/- 2.3 A in our 2006 March 5 spectrum (Tegler et al., 2007, AJ, 133, 526). The higher resolution spectrum of 2007 February 12 UT enabled us measure shifts of individual CH4-ice bands. We found the 7296 A, 7862 A, and 7993 A CH4-ice bands were blueshifted by 4.0 +/- 1.6 A, 4.0 +/- 3.0 A, and 4.2 +/- 3.7 A.
These small shifts are important because they suggest the presence of another ice component. Laboratory experiments show that CH4-ice bands in spectra of CH4 and N2 ice mixtures are blueshifted relative to the bands in spectra of pure CH4-ice (Quirico and Schmitt, 1997, Icarus, 127, 354). A likely candidate is N2-ice because its weak 2.15 micron band and blueshifted CH4 bands are seen in spectra of Triton and Pluto (Cruikshank et al., 1993, Science, 261, 742; Owen et al., 1993, Science, 261, 745).
Our spectra show no difference in CH4/N2 (within the uncertainties) between observations taken at two rotational phases; nor can we detect any difference at different depths into the surface.
We thank the NASA Planetary Astronomy and Planetary Geology and Geophysics Programs for financial support of this research.

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