Beyond Pluto: Exploring the Outer Limits of the Solar System John Davies Index More Information Index
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Surface Characteristics of Transneptunian Objects and Centaurs from Photometry and Spectroscopy
Barucci et al.: Surface Characteristics of TNOs and Centaurs 647 Surface Characteristics of Transneptunian Objects and Centaurs from Photometry and Spectroscopy M. A. Barucci and A. Doressoundiram Observatoire de Paris D. P. Cruikshank NASA Ames Research Center The external region of the solar system contains a vast population of small icy bodies, be- lieved to be remnants from the accretion of the planets. The transneptunian objects (TNOs) and Centaurs (located between Jupiter and Neptune) are probably made of the most primitive and thermally unprocessed materials of the known solar system. Although the study of these objects has rapidly evolved in the past few years, especially from dynamical and theoretical points of view, studies of the physical and chemical properties of the TNO population are still limited by the faintness of these objects. The basic properties of these objects, including infor- mation on their dimensions and rotation periods, are presented, with emphasis on their diver- sity and the possible characteristics of their surfaces. 1. INTRODUCTION cally with even the largest telescopes. The physical char- acteristics of Centaurs and TNOs are still in a rather early Transneptunian objects (TNOs), also known as Kuiper stage of investigation. Advances in instrumentation on tele- belt objects (KBOs) and Edgeworth-Kuiper belt objects scopes of 6- to 10-m aperture have enabled spectroscopic (EKBOs), are presumed to be remnants of the solar nebula studies of an increasing number of these objects, and signifi- that have survived over the age of the solar system. The cant progress is slowly being made. connection of the short-period comets (P < 200 yr) of low We describe here photometric and spectroscopic studies orbital inclination and the transneptunian population of pri- of TNOs and the emerging results. -
Rings Under Close Encounters with the Giant Planets: Chariklo Vs Chiron
Mon. Not. R. Astron. Soc. 000, 1–8 (2017) Printed 15 March 2021 (MN LATEX style file v2.2) Rings under close encounters with the giant planets: Chariklo vs Chiron R. A. N. Araujo1, O. C. Winter1, R. Sfair1 1UNESP - Sao˜ Paulo State University, Grupo de Dinamicaˆ Orbital e Planetologia, CEP 12516-410, Guaratingueta,´ SP, Brazil ABSTRACT In 2014, the discovery of two well-defined rings around the Centaur (10199) Chariklo were announced. This was the first time that such structures were found around a small body. In 2015, it was proposed that the Centaur (2060) Chiron may also have a ring. In a previous study, we analyzed how close encounters with giant planets would affect the rings of Chariklo. The most likely result is the survival of the rings. In the present work, we broaden our analysis to (2060) Chiron. In addition to Chariklo, Chiron is currently the only known Centaur with a presumed ring. By applying the same method as Araujo, Sfair & Winter (2016), we performed numerical integrations of a system composed of 729 clones of Chiron, the Sun, and the giant planets. The number of close encounters that disrupted the ring of Chiron during one half-life of the study period was computed. This number was then compared to the number of close encounters for Chariklo. We found that the probability of Chiron losing its ring due to close encounters with the giant planets is about six times higher than that for Chariklo. Our analysis showed that, unlike Chariklo, Chiron is more likely to remain in an orbit with a relatively low inclination and high eccentricity. -
Distant Ekos: 2011 HL103, 2011 KW48, 2012 VR113, 2013 QO95, 2013 QP95 and 4 New Centaur/SDO Discoveries: 2011 JD32, 2012 VS113, 2013 TV158, 2014 OG392
Issue No. 94 August 2014 r✤✜ s ✓✏ DISTANT EKO ❞✐ ✒✑ The Kuiper Belt Electronic Newsletter ✣✢ Edited by: Joel Wm. Parker [email protected] www.boulder.swri.edu/ekonews CONTENTS News & Announcements ................................. 2 Abstracts of 5 Accepted Papers ......................... 3 Newsletter Information .............................. .....7 1 NEWS & ANNOUNCEMENTS There were 5 new TNO discoveries announced since the previous issue of Distant EKOs: 2011 HL103, 2011 KW48, 2012 VR113, 2013 QO95, 2013 QP95 and 4 new Centaur/SDO discoveries: 2011 JD32, 2012 VS113, 2013 TV158, 2014 OG392 Reclassified objects: 2013 LU28 (Centaur → SDO) Deleted/Re-identified objects: 2014 LJ9 = 2013 LU28 Current number of TNOs: 1277 (including Pluto) Current number of Centaurs/SDOs: 401 Current number of Neptune Trojans: 9 Out of a total of 1687 objects: 646 have measurements from only one opposition 629 of those have had no measurements for more than a year 326 of those have arcs shorter than 10 days (for more details, see: http://www.boulder.swri.edu/ekonews/objects/recov_stats.jpg) 2 PAPERS ACCEPTED TO JOURNALS Photometric and Spectroscopic Evidence for a Dense Ring System around Centaur Chariklo R. Duffard1, N. Pinilla-Alonso2, J.L. Ortiz1, A. Alvarez-Candal3, B. Sicardy4, P. Santos-Sanz1, N. Morales1, C. Colazo5, E. Fern´andez-Valenzuela1, and F. Braga-Ribas1 1 Instituto de Astrofisica de Andalucia - CSIC. Glorieta de la Astronom´ıa s/n. Granada. 18008. Spain 2 Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, 37996-1410, USA 3 Observatorio Nacional de Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 4 LESIA-Observatoire de Paris, CNRS, UPMC Univ. Paris 6, Univ. -
Uhm Ms 3980 R.Pdf
UNIVERSITY OF HAWAI'I LIBRARY The Enigmatic Surface of(3200) Phaethon: Comparison with cometary candidates A THESIS SUBMITTED TO THE GRADUATE DIVISION OF THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAI'I IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF SCIENCE IN ASTRONOMY August 2005 By Luke R. Dundon Thesis Committee: K. Meech, Chairperson S. Bus D. Tholen To my parents, David and Colleen Dundon. III Acknowledgments lowe much gratitude to my advisor, Karen Meech, as well as the other members of my thesis committee, Dave Tholen and Bobby Bus. Karen, among many other things, trained me in the art of data reduction and good observing technique, as well as successful writing of telescope proposals. Bobby helped me perform productive near-IR spectral observation and subsequent data reduction. Dave provided keen analytical insight throughout the entire process of my project. With the tremendous guidance, expertise and advice of my committee, I was able to complete this project. They were always willing to aid me through my most difficult dilemmas. This work would not have been possible without their help. Thanks is also due to numerous people at the !fA who have helped me through my project in various ways. Dave Jewitt was always available to offer practical scientific advice, as well as numerous data reduction strategies. Van Fernandez allowed me to use a few of his numerous IDL programs for lightcurve analysis and spectral reduction. His advice was also quite insightful and helped focus my own thought processes. Jana Pittichova guided me through the initial stages of learning how to observe, which was crucial for my successful observations of (3200) Phaethon in the Fall of 2004. -
The Relationship Between Centaurs and Jupiter Family Comets with Implications for K-Pg-Type Impacts K
1 The Relationship between Centaurs and Jupiter Family Comets with Implications for K-Pg-type Impacts K. R. Grazier1*†, J. Horner2, J. C. Castillo-Rogez3 1United States Military Academy, West Point, NY, United States 2Centre for Astrophysics, University of Southern Queensland, Toowoomba, Queensland 4350, Australia 3Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, United States. *Corresponding Author. E-mail: [email protected] †Now at NASA/Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, AL, United States Centaurs—icy bodies orbiting beyond Jupiter and interior to Neptune—are believed to be dynamically related to Jupiter Family Comets (JFCs), which have aphelia near Jupiter’s orbit, and perihelia in the inner Solar System. Previous dynamical simulations have recreated the Centaur/JFC conversion, but the mechanism behind that process remains poorly described. We have performed a numerical simulation of Centaur analogues that recreates this process, generating a dataset detailing over 2.6 million close planet/planetesimal interactions. We explore scenarios stored within that database and, from those, describe the mechanism by which Centaur objects are converted into JFCs. Because many JFCs have perihelia in the terrestrial planet region, and since Centaurs are constantly resupplied from the Scattered Disk and other reservoirs, the JFCs are an ever-present impact threat. Keywords: dynamical evolution and stability, celestial mechanics, comets, asteroids 1. Introduction Over the past decade, a number of studies have brought into question the long-held belief that Jupiter acts to shield the Earth from comet impacts. The work of Wetherill (1994, 1995), who studied the influence of the giant planets in clearing debris from the outer Solar System, is often heralded as the source of the “Jupiter: the Shield” paradigm, and was one of the core tenets of the Rare Earth hypothesis of Ward & Brownlee (2000) who popularized the notion. -
University of Hawai'i Library
UNIVERSITY OF HAWAI'I LIBRARY A Physical Survey of Centaurs A DISSERTATION SUBMITTED TO THE GRADUATE DIVISION OF THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAI'I IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY IN ASTRONOMY MAY 2003 By James M. Bauer Dissertation Committee: Karen J. Meech, Chairperson Tom Dinell Alan Stockton David J. Tholen Alan Tokunaga © Copyright 2003 by James M. Bauer All Rights Reserved iii To my wife, Chija "Oh, night that was my guide, Oh, night more lovely than the rising Sun... " IV Acknowledgements I wish to thank my dissertation committee, especially the chair, my graduate adviser and exceptionally generous and tolerant mentor, Karen J. Meech, but also Alan 'Ibkunaga, Dave Tholen, Alan Stockton and Tom Dinel!. Much needed advice and direction was contributed by all the members ofmy committee, and I will ever feel an abundance of respect, friendship, and gratitude toward each member. Yan Fernandez generously provided much additional guidance which was indispensable, to say the least. Likewise, Tobias Owen very graciously contributed many hours and imparted much wisdom to this work. I'd like to thank Ted Roush, for his instruction on the use and administration of his Hapke scattering code, and his advice in the interpretation of spectra, and above all his patience with a slow, but determined student. Though not officially committee members, Drs. Fernandez, Roush, and Owen were as integral a part of the writing of this dissertation as the committee members. John Kormendy and Mike Delisio, who were originally part of the committee, but later left for positions out of state also deserve and have my gratitude. -
A Portrait of Centaur 10199 Chariklo
A&A 501, 777–784 (2009) Astronomy DOI: 10.1051/0004-6361/200911660 & c ESO 2009 Astrophysics A portrait of Centaur 10199 Chariklo A. Guilbert1, M. A. Barucci1, R. Brunetto2, A. Delsanti1, F. Merlin1,3, A. Alvarez-Candal1, S. Fornasier1,4, C. de Bergh1, and G. Sarid5 1 LESIA, Observatoire de Paris - Section Meudon, 2 Place J. Janssen, 92195 Meudon Principal Cedex, France e-mail: [email protected] 2 Institut d’Astrophysique Spatiale, UMR-8617, Université Paris-Sud, bâtiment 121, 91405 Orsay Cedex, France 3 Department of Astronomy, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA 4 Université Paris 7 - Denis Diderot, Paris, France 5 Department of Geophysics and Planetary Sciences, Sackler Faculty of Exact Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Ramat Aviv, Israel Received 14 January 2009 / Accepted 14 April 2009 ABSTRACT Context. An ESO Large Program was undertaken in October 2006 (P.I.: M. A. Barucci) to provide as complete observations as possible of about 40 Trans-Neptunian Objects and Centaurs, to investigate their surface properties. Hence, new visible and near- infrared observations of Centaur 10199 Chariklo (1997 CU26)) were performed. Aims. We investigate Chariklo’s surface composition. It has already been suspected of being inhomogeneous. We try to confirm this assumption by comparing our results with previously published works, and find an explanation related the observed variations. Methods. A spectral modeling is applied to the spectra, using different types of mixtures, to place constraints on the amount of water ice present in our new spectrum. Several spectra, obtained at different moments by different groups, are compared by studying the variations in the depth of absorption bands attributable to water ice. -
Colours of Minor Bodies in the Outer Solar System II - a Statistical Analysis, Revisited
Astronomy & Astrophysics manuscript no. MBOSS2 c ESO 2012 April 26, 2012 Colours of Minor Bodies in the Outer Solar System II - A Statistical Analysis, Revisited O. R. Hainaut1, H. Boehnhardt2, and S. Protopapa3 1 European Southern Observatory (ESO), Karl Schwarzschild Straße, 85 748 Garching bei M¨unchen, Germany e-mail: [email protected] 2 Max-Planck-Institut f¨ur Sonnensystemforschung, Max-Planck Straße 2, 37 191 Katlenburg- Lindau, Germany 3 Department of Astronomy, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20 742-2421, USA Received —; accepted — ABSTRACT We present an update of the visible and near-infrared colour database of Minor Bodies in the outer Solar System (MBOSSes), now including over 2000 measurement epochs of 555 objects, extracted from 100 articles. The list is fairly complete as of December 2011. The database is now large enough that dataset with a high dispersion can be safely identified and rejected from the analysis. The method used is safe for individual outliers. Most of the rejected papers were from the early days of MBOSS photometry. The individual measurements were combined so not to include possible rotational artefacts. The spectral gradient over the visible range is derived from the colours, as well as the R absolute magnitude M(1, 1). The average colours, absolute magnitude, spectral gradient are listed for each object, as well as their physico-dynamical classes using a classification adapted from Gladman et al., 2008. Colour-colour diagrams, histograms and various other plots are presented to illustrate and in- vestigate class characteristics and trends with other parameters, whose significance are evaluated using standard statistical tests. -
Disk-Resolved Optical Spectra of Near-Earth Asteroid 25143 Itokawa with Hayabusa/AMICA Observations
발표논문 초록 (태양계) [구SS-01] Disk-Resolved Optical Spectra of Near-Earth Asteroid 25143 Itokawa with Hayabusa/AMICA observations Masateru Ishiguro Seoul National University The Hayabusa mission successfully rendezvoused with its target asteroid 25143 Itokawa in 2005 and brought the asteroidal sample to the Earth in 2009. This mission enabled to connect the S-type asteroids to ordinary chondrites, the counterpart meteorites which exist in near Earth orbit. Recent finding of a fragment from 25143 Itokawa [1] suggested that the asteroid experienced an impact after the injection to the near-Earth orbit. In this presentation, we investigated the evidence of the recent impact on 25143 Itokawa using the onboard camera, AMICA. AMICA took more than 1400 images of Itokawa during the rendezvous phase. It is reported that AMICA images are highly contaminated by lights scattered inside the optics in the longer wavelength. We developed a technique to subtract the scattered light by determining the point spread functions for all available channels. As the result, we first succeeded in the determination of the surface spectra in all available bands. We consider a most fresh-looking compact crater, Kamoi, is a possible impact site. [1] Ohtsuka, K., Publications of the Astronomical Society of Japan, 63, 6, L73-L77 [구SS-02] Dynamical Evolution of the Dark Asteroids with Tisserand parameter 김윤영1, Masateru Ishiguro2, 정진훈2, 양홍규2, Fumihiko Usui3 1 이화여자대학교 물리학과, 2서울대학교 물리천문학부, 3우주과학연구소 (일본) It has been speculated that there could be dormant or extinct comets in the list of known asteroids, which appear asteroidal but are icy bodies originating from outer solar system. -
Orbital Shapes of Asteroids in Cometary Orbits Based on 0.7M Telescope Imaging
Orbital Shapes of Asteroids in Cometary Orbits based on 0.7m Telescope Imaging 1,2,3 2,3 S Dueantakhu , S Wannawichian 1 Graduate School, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand 2 Department of physics and Materials Science, Faculty of Science, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand 3 National Astronomical Research Institute of Thailand(NARIT), Chiang Mai, Thailand E-mail: [email protected] Abstract. The study of orbital elements of Asteroids in Cometary Orbits (ACOs) is based on images taken by a 0.7-m telescope to find positions of asteroids and calculate their orbital elements. This work focuses on variation of positions and orbital shape of an asteroid, 1667Pels, which is obtained by analyzing orbital elements and minimum orbital intersection distances. Each observation, those parameters are affected by the gravity from Jupiter on ACOs. The accuracy of single site data was calibrated by comparing the result from this work to other observations in Minor Planet Center database. 1. Introduction Asteroids are members of minor planet group. Some of their movements are affected by giant planets, especially Jupiter, which make orbits of asteroids highly variable. The three-body problem is the major case for discussion about position of planet and its satellite. For asteroid, it is a special case that is called restricted three-body problem [3] because it has infinitesimal mass and moves in the gravitational field of the sun and giant planets. Solution of restricted three-body problem is [3] " " " "(()*) "* � = � + � + + − � (1) , , - . Where � is the speed of the infinitesimal mass. � and � are position of the mass. �(and �" are positioning vectors of the mass, � is mass of secondary body and 1 − � is mass of primary body � is Jacobi's integral parameter, � is a planet and 1 − � is the Sun. -
Polarimetric Properties of Transneptunian Objects and Centaurs
Polarimetry of Centaurs (2060) Chiron, (5145) Pholus and (10199) Chariklo I. N. Belskaya1,2, S. Bagnulo3, M.A. Barucci2, K. Muinonen4,5, G.P. Tozzi6, S. Fornasier2,7, L. Kolokolova8 1Institute of Astronomy, Kharkiv National University, 35 Sumska str., 61022 Kharkiv, Ukraine, [email protected] 2LESIA, Observatoire de Paris, 5, pl.Jules Janssen, 92195 Meudon cedex, France 3Armagh Observatory, College Hill, Armagh BT61 9DG, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom 4 Department of Physics, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 64, Gustaf Hällströmin katu 2a, FI-00014, Finland 5Finnish Geodetic Institute, P.O. Box 15, Geodeetinrinne 2, FI-02431 Masala, Finland 6INAF - Oss. Astrofisico di Arcetri, Largo E. Fermi 5, I-50125 Firenze, Italy 7University of Denis Diderot -Paris VII, France 8University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA Published in Icarus 210, p.472-479, 2010 http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0019103510002277 * Based on observations made with ESO Very Large Telescope at the La Silla-Paranal Observatory under programme ID 178.C-0036 (PI: A. Barucci) Pages: 18 Tables: 3 Figures: 8 Abstract Results of the first polarimetric observations of Centaurs (5145) Pholus and (10199) Chariklo, and new observations of (2060) Chiron are presented together with the estimates of their absolute magnitudes. Observations were carried out at the 8 m ESO Very Large Telescope in 2007-2008. They revealed noticeable negative polarization in the phase angle range 0.5-4.4 deg with a minimum varying from -1% to -2.1% in the R band. All three objects show diverse polarization phase angle behaviour, each distinctly different from that of transneptunian objects. -
Jjmonl 1407-8.Pmd
alactic Observer GJohn J. McCarthy Observatory Volume 7, No. 7/8 July/August 2014 Sorry! . Out of Gas The boomerang nebula, about 5000 light years away in the constellation Centaurus, is the last breath of a red giant star which has spent its energy and belched its outer layers into the cosmos. As these gases and stellar dust dissipate, they cool, leaving behind a frigid region (minus 272C - one degree warmer than absolute zero) and the coldest-known spot in the universe. Why "boomerang"? - find out at http://www.spacetelescope.org/images/heic0301a/. Source: European Space Agency, NASA The John J. McCarthy Observatory Galactic Observer New Milford High School Editorial Committee 388 Danbury Road Managing Editor New Milford, CT 06776 Bill Cloutier Phone/Voice: (860) 210-4117 Production & Design Phone/Fax: (860) 354-1595 www.mccarthyobservatory.org Allan Ostergren Website Development JJMO Staff Marc Polansky It is through their efforts that the McCarthy Observatory Technical Support has established itself as a significant educational and Bob Lambert recreational resource within the western Connecticut Dr. Parker Moreland community. Steve Allison Jim Johnstone Steve Barone Carly KleinStern Colin Campbell Bob Lambert Dennis Cartolano Roger Moore Route Mike Chiarella Parker Moreland, PhD Jeff Chodak Allan Ostergren Bill Cloutier Marc Polansky Cecilia Detrich Joe Privitera Dirk Feather Monty Robson Randy Fender Don Ross Randy Finden Gene Schilling John Gebauer Katie Shusdock Elaine Green Jon Wallace Tina Hartzell Paul Woodell Tom Heydenburg Amy Ziffer In This Issue "OUT THE WINDOW ON YOUR LEFT" ............................... 4 COVER PHOTO AND OTHER CREDITS ................................ 16 MONS HADLEY AND THE APENNINES .................................. 5 SECOND SATURDAY STARS .............................................