Simultaneous visible-near IR photometric study of Kuiper Belt Object surfaces with the ESO/Very Large Telescopes

Details Simultaneous visible-near IR photometric study of Kuiper Belt Object surfaces with the ESO/Very Large Telescopes Simultaneous visible-near IR photometric study of Kuiper Belt Object surfaces with the ESO/Very Large Telescopes

Apr 2004

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2004a%26a...417.1145d&link_type=abstract

Astronomy and Astrophysics, v.417, p.1145-1158 (2004)

Astronomy and Astrophysics

Astrophysics

32

Kuiper Belt, Minor Planets, Asteroids, Techniques: Photometric

Scientific paper

We present simultaneous visible-near-IR (BVRIJHK) photometry of 8 Kuiper belt objects (KBOs) and 4 Centaurs. The observations were carried out using two 8m-units of the ESO/Very Large Telescope operated simultaneously on November 29 and 30, 2000. The KBOs displayed linear reflectivity spectra in the optical with a wide range of slopes from neutral (solar) to very red. In most cases, the reflectivity spectra are linear from B to J bands. We notice a change of regime in the spectra which flatten toward the H and K bandpasses. (33128) 1998 BU48 even has a significantly negative H-K value. Only (54598) 2000 QC243 does not flatten in the infra-red. (24835) 1995 SM55 has a noticeably blue spectrum in the near-IR which might be indicative of water ice absorption features. We also present an empirical model for KBO surface evolution, based on models from \cite{LJ96} and \cite{Stern95}, in which surface colors evolve because of collisions. In the model presented here we propose that cometary activity can refresh the surface. This model predicts that (1) small (e.g. ≪80 km in radius) KBOs should have color variations with rotation, (2) the larger objects should display uniform colors, (3) there should be no color dependence with inclination for objects >100 km in radius, and (4) very distant KBOs are fully irradiated.
Based on observations collected at the European Southern Observatory, Paranal, Chile, under program 66.C-0369.

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