Polarimetry of trans-Neptunian objects (136472) Makemake and (90482) Orcus

Belskaya, I. N.; Bagnulo, S.; Stinson, A.; Tozzi, G. P.; Muinonen, K.; Shkuratov, Yu. G.; Barucci, Maria Antonietta; Fornasier, S.

doi:10.1051/0004-6361/201220202

Cited by 16 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 30 publications

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“…These mid-sized, H2O ice-bearing TNOs have estimated diameters ranging from ~400 to 1200 km, which are comparable to the diameters of the Uranian satellites (~500 -1500 km). Furthermore, the polarization properties of these mid-sized TNOs are similar to the Uranian satellites, with steep NPBs that are clearly distinct from large and bright TNOs, which have fairly constant NPBs (e.g., Bagnulo et al, 2008Bagnulo et al, , 2011Belskaya et al, 2012;Afanasiev et al, 2014). The similarly steep NPBs of these TNOs and the Uranian moons could stem from enhanced scattering in porous layers composed primarily of tiny H2O grains, formed (at least in part) by volatile outgassing.…”

mentioning

confidence: 78%

Probing the regoliths of the classical Uranian satellites: Are their surfaces mantled by a layer of tiny H2O ice grains?

Cartwright

Emery

Grundy

et al. 2020

Icarus

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We investigate whether the surfaces of the classical moons of Uranus are compositionally stratified, with a thin veneer of mostly tiny H2O ice grains (≤ 2 µm diameters) mantling a lower layer composed of larger grains of H2O ice, dark material, and CO2 ice (~10 -50 µm diameters). Near-infrared observations (~1 -2.5 µm) have determined that the H2O ice-rich surfaces of these moons are overprinted by concentrated deposits of CO2 ice, found almost exclusively on their trailing hemispheres. However, best fit spectral models of longer wavelength datasets (~3 -5 µm) indicate that the spectral signature of CO2 ice is largely absent, and instead, the exposed surfaces of these moons are composed primarily of tiny H2O ice grains. To investigate possible compositional layering of these moons, we have collected new data using the Infrared Array Camera (IRAC) onboard the Spitzer Space Telescope (~3 -5 µm). Spectral modeling of these new data is consistent with prior analyses, suggesting that the exposed surfaces of the Uranian moons are primarily composed of tiny H2O ice grains. Furthermore, analysis of these new data reveal that the trailing hemispheres of these moons are brighter than their leading hemispheres over the 3 to 5 µm wavelength range, except for Miranda, which displays no hemispherical asymmetries in its IRAC albedos. Our analyses also revealed that the surface of Ariel displays five distinct, regionalscale albedo zones, possibly consistent with the spatial distribution of CO2 ice on this moon. We discuss possible processes that could be enhancing the observed leading/trailing albedo asymmetries exhibited by these moons, as well as processes that could be driving the apparent compositional stratification of their near surfaces. 2019a. Exploring the composition of icy bodies at the fringes of the Solar System with next generation space telescopes. arXiv preprint arXiv:1903.07691. Cartwright, R.J., Emery, J.P., Pinilla-Alonso, N., Grundy, W.M., Cruikshank, D.P., 2019b.Probing the regoliths of the classical Uranian satellites using near-infrared telescope observations: Thick deposits of CO2 ice mantled by a thin veneer of tiny H2O ice grains?In AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts.

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mentioning

confidence: 78%

Probing the regoliths of the classical Uranian satellites: Are their surfaces mantled by a layer of tiny H2O ice grains?

Cartwright

Emery

Grundy

et al. 2020

Icarus

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“…In comparison with the trailing hemisphere of Iapetus [8] having albedo 0.55 in visible light, the icy satellites Rhea and Enceladus show lower asymmetry and less depth of the phase-angle dependence of polarization. Also, Rhea and Enceladus show less depth of the phase-angle dependence of polarization in comparison with large transneptunian objects with icy surfaces [1,2]. Thus, polarimetrical observations of high-albedo Saturnian satellites Enceladus, Rhea, bright side of Iapetus, Jovian satellites Io, Europa, Ganymede, Etype asteroids 44 Nysa and 64 Angelina demonstrate a great diversity in the characteristics of the phaseangle dependence of linear polarization.…”

Section: Observationsmentioning

confidence: 95%

Polarimetry of Saturnian satellite Enceladus

Zaitsev

Kiselev

Rosenbush

et al. 2015

Adv.Astron.Spa.Physics

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in WR spectral band (550750 nm). We used 2.6-m telescope equipped with a one-channel photoelectric photometer-polarimeter (Crimean Astrophysical Observatory). The measurements were performed at phase angles ranging from 1.65• to 5.71• . The phase-angle dependence of linear polarization of Enceladus was obtained using the results of our observations. Results obtained are discussed in terms of existing models of light scattering by regolith surfaces.

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“…Nowadays these celestial points are studied with imaging polarimetry, a very useful technique to gather information from spatially extended phenomena in the optical environment (Horváth & Varjú 2004;Horváth 2014). Farther targets of astronomical imaging polarimetry are the Sun, its planets and their moons in the Solar System (Gehrels 1974;Können 1985;Belskaya et al 2012). Although the direct sunlight is unpolarized, the solar corona is partially polarized due to Compton scattering on the electrons of the Sun's atmosphere (Können 1985).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Celestial mechanics and polarization optics of the Kordylewski dust cloud in the Earth–Moon Lagrange point L5 – Part II. Imaging polarimetric observation: new evidence for the existence of Kordylewski dust cloud

Slíz-Balogh

Barta

Horváth

2018

Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society

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Telescopes mounted with polarizers can study the neutral points of the Earths atmosphere, the solar corona, the surface of planets/moons of the Solar System, distant stars, galaxies and nebulae. These examples demonstrate well that polarimetry is a useful technique to gather astronomical information from spatially extended phenomena. There are two enigmatic celestial objects that can also effectively be studied with imaging polarimetry, namely the Kordylewski dust clouds (KDCs) positioned around the L4 and L5 triangular Lagrangian libration points of the Earth-Moon system. Although in 1961 the Polish astronomer, Kazimierz Kordylewski had observed two bright patches near the L5 point with photography, many astronomers assume that these dust clouds do not exist, because the gravitational perturbation of the Sun, solar wind and other planets may disrupt the stabilizing effect of the L4 and L5 Lagrange points of the Earth and Moon. Using ground-born imaging polarimetry, we present here new observational evidence for the existence of the KDC around the L5 point of the Earth-Moon system. Excluding artefacts induced by the telescope, cirrus clouds or condensation trails of airplanes, the only explanation remains the polarized scattering of sunlight on the particles collected around the L5 point. By our polarimetric detection of the KDC we think it is appropriate to reconsider the pioneering photometric observation of Kordylewski. Our polarimetric evidence is supported by the results of simulation of dust cloud formation in the L5 point of the Earth-Moon system presented in the first part of this paper.

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Polarimetry of trans-Neptunian objects (136472) Makemake and (90482) Orcus

Cited by 16 publications

References 30 publications

Probing the regoliths of the classical Uranian satellites: Are their surfaces mantled by a layer of tiny H2O ice grains?

Probing the regoliths of the classical Uranian satellites: Are their surfaces mantled by a layer of tiny H2O ice grains?

Polarimetry of Saturnian satellite Enceladus

Celestial mechanics and polarization optics of the Kordylewski dust cloud in the Earth–Moon Lagrange point L5 – Part II. Imaging polarimetric observation: new evidence for the existence of Kordylewski dust cloud

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