A high-resolution infrared spectral survey of Comet C/1999 H1 Lee

We obtained high-resolution (λ/Δλ∼25,000) spectra of Comet C/1999 H1 (Lee) on UT 1999 August 19.6 and 21.6 using the cross-dispersed Near InfraRed SPECtrometer (NIRSPEC) at the Keck Observatory atop Mauna Kea, HI. Here we present spectra of Comet Lee between 2.874 and 3.701 μm (3479-2702 cm⁻¹) representing the most complete high-resolution infrared survey of a comet to date in this wavelength region. Using published line lists and laboratory spectra we have identified 444 of the 545 distinct emission features present in these spectra. We have tabulated the rest frequencies, assignments, relative intensities, and signal-to-noise ratios of all detected emissions. In addition to gaining insights into the chemistry of Comet Lee, this survey provides a valuable tool for planning future high-resolution infrared observations of comets and other astronomical targets, and for retrospective comparison to existing high-resolution infrared datasets.     

Getting SMARTS on Novae: Highlights of the Early Evolution of Nova V475 Sct

There is a disconcerting global trend of retiring telescopes of modest aperture, supplanting them instead with fewer expensive telescopes of quite large aperture. As a consequence, the available time and feasibility of following transient objects in astrophysics is diminishing. We show the utility of having a suite of small to moderate aperture telescopes capable of conducting imaging and spectroscopic observations in a service queue mode. The example we provide is the high-cadence early observations of the classical nova V475 Scuti (2003) carried out with the SMARTS suite of telescopes located at CTIO.     

The surface composition of Trojan asteroids: constraints set by scattering theory

We present the results of spectral modeling of 17 Trojan asteroids. The surface composition of this group of objects (located just beyond the main belt, trapped in Jupiter's stable Lagrange points) remains uncertain due to an absence of diagnostic absorption features in their spectra. We quantitatively analyze spectra of these objects covering the range 0.3-4.0 μm using the formulation for scattering in a particulate medium developed by Hapke. Since the widest spectral range possible is desired to provide the most robust results, recently measured near-IR spectra are combined with previously published visible and near-IR data. These composite spectra are converted to and modeled in terms of geometric albedo to provide the additional constraint of the absolute brightness of the asteroids. It is important that this modeling is performed for a large number of objects, and results are derived based on trends among best-fit models. Under this rigorous examination, we find that it is unlikely that the red spectral slope is a result of organics on the surfaces, due mainly to the lack of absorptions in the L-band. Instead, anhydrous silicates adequately describe the spectral characteristics of this group of objects. A significant fraction of carbonaceous material is also likely present, but is not responsible for the red spectral slope in these models. Also, using these models, we estimate that these surfaces contain at most a few wt% of H₂O ice and no more than 10-30 wt% of hydrated silicates.     

Distribution of hydrate on Europa: Further evidence for sulfuric acid hydrate

Sulfuric acid hydrate has been proposed as an important species on Europa's surface, the acid being produced by radiolysis of surficial sulfur compounds. We investigated the spectral properties of disordered and crystalline forms of sulfuric acid and suggest that the hydration properties of Europa's hypothesized sulfuric acid lie between two end members: liquid sulfuric acid and its higher crystalline hydrates. The spectra of these end members are similar except for spectral shifts at the band edges. We measured the optical constants of sulfuric acid octahydrate and used these with simple radiative transfer calculations to fit Europa spectra obtained by Galileo's Near Infrared Mapping Spectrometer (NIMS). The global distribution of the hydrate that we associate here with hydrated sulfuric acid shows a strong trailing-side enhancement with a maximum fractional hydrate abundance of 90% by volume, corresponding to a sulfur atom to water molecule ratio of 10%. The hydrate concentration spatially correlates with the ultraviolet and visible absorption of the surface and with the sulfur dioxide concentration. The asymmetric global distribution is consistent with Iogenic plasma ion implantation as the source of the sulfur, possibly modified by electron irradiation and sputtering effects. The variegated distribution also correlates with geologic forms. A high spatial resolution image shows resolved lineae with less hydrate appearing within the lineae than in nearby crustal material. The low concentration of hydrated material in these lineae argues against their conveying sulfurous material to the surface from the putative ocean.     

Elastic collisions in ion irradiation experiments: A mechanism for space weathering of silicates

Ion irradiation experiments have been performed on silicates (bulk samples) rich of olivine, pyroxene, and serpentine to simulate the effects of space weathering induced on asteroids by solar wind ions. We have used different ions (H⁺, He⁺, Ar⁺, Ar²⁺) having different energies (from 60 to 400 keV) to weather the samples, probed by Raman spectroscopy and UV-vis-NIR reflectance spectroscopy. All the irradiated materials have shown reddening and darkening of reflectance spectra in the 0.25-2.7 μm spectral range. We have found that the increase of the spectral slope of the continuum across the 1-μm band is strongly related with the number of displacements caused by colliding ions because of elastic collisions with the target nuclei. The spectral slopes have been compared, at increasing ion fluence, with those from irradiated Epinal meteorite. We show that formation of nuclear displacements by solar wind ion irradiation is a physical mechanism that reddens the asteroidal surfaces on a time-scale lower than 10⁶ years.     

Sulfurous acid (H2SO3) on Io?

Sulfurous acid (H₂SO₃) has never been characterized or isolated on Earth. This is caused by the unfavorable conditions for H₂SO₃ within Earth's atmosphere due to the high temperatures, the high water content and the oxidizing environment. Kinetic investigations by means of transition state theory showed that the half-life of H₂SO₃ at 300 K is 1 day but at 100 K it is increased to 2.7 billion years. Natural conditions to form H₂SO₃ presumably require cryogenic SO₂ or SO₂/H₂O mixtures and high energy proton irradiation at temperatures around 100 K. Such conditions can be found on the Jupiter moons Io and Europa. Therefore, we calculated IR-spectra of H₂SO₃ which we compared with Galileo's spectra of Io and Europa. From the available data we surmise that H₂SO₃ is present on Io and probably but to a smaller extent on Europa.     

The atmospheric signature of Io's Prometheus plume and anti-jovian hemisphere: evidence for a sublimation atmosphere

Using the Hubble Space Telescope's Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph we have obtained for the first time spatially resolved 2000-3000 Å spectra of Io's Prometheus plume and adjoining regions on Io's anti-jovian hemisphere in the latitude range 60° N-60° S, using a 0.1″ slit centered on Prometheus and tilted roughly 45° to the spin axis. The SO₂ column density peaked at 1.25×10¹⁷ cm⁻² near the equator, with an additional 5×10¹⁶ cm⁻² enhancement over Prometheus corresponding to a model volcanic SO₂ output of 10⁵ kg s⁻¹. Apart from the Prometheus peak, the SO₂ column density dropped fairly smoothly away from the subsolar point, even over regions that included potential volcanic sources. At latitudes less than ±30°, the dropoff rate was consistent with control by vapor pressure equilibrium with surface frost with subsolar temperature 117.3±0.6 K, though SO₂ abundance was higher than predicted by vapor pressure control at mid-latitudes, especially in the northern hemisphere. We conclude that, at least at low latitudes on the anti-jovian hemisphere where there are extensive deposits of optically-thick SO₂ frost, the atmosphere is probably primarily supported by sublimation of surface frost. Although the 45° tilt of our slit prevents us from separating the dependence of atmospheric density on solar zenith angle from its dependence on latitude, the pattern is consistent with a sublimation atmosphere regardless of which parameter is the dominant control. The observed drop in gas abundance towards higher latitudes is consistent with the interpretation of previous Lyman alpha images of Io as indicating an atmosphere concentrated at low latitudes. Comparison with previous disk-resolved UV spectroscopy, Lyman-alpha images, and mid-infrared spectroscopy suggests that Io's atmosphere is denser and more widespread on the anti-jovian hemisphere than at other longitudes. SO₂ gas temperatures were in the range of 150-250 K over the majority of the anti-jovian hemisphere, consistent with previous observations. SO was not definitively detected in our spectra, with upper limits to the SO/SO₂ ratio in the range 1-10%, roughly consistent with previous observations. S₂ gas was not seen anywhere, with an upper limit of 7.5×10¹⁴ cm⁻² for the Prometheus plume, confirming that this plume is significantly poorer in S₂ than the Pele plume (S₂ /SO₂<0.005, compared to 0.08-0.3 at Pele). In addition to the gas absorption signatures, we have observed continuum emission in the near ultraviolet (near 2800 Å) for the first time. The brightness of the observed emission was directly correlated with the SO₂ abundance, strongly peaking in the equatorial region over Prometheus. Emission brightness was modestly anti-correlated with the jovian magnetic latitude, decreasing when Io intersected the torus centrifugal equator.     

SOS: the visible spectroscopic survey of 820 asteroids

We present the results of a visible spectroscopic survey of 820 asteroids carried on between November 1996 and September 2001 at the 1.52 m telescope at ESO (La Silla). The instrumental set-up allowed an useful spectral range of about 4900 Å<λ<9200 Å. The global spatial distribution of the observed asteroids covers quite well all the region between 2.2 and 3.3 AU though some concentrations are apparent. These are due to the fact that several sub-sets of asteroids, such as families and groups, have been selected and studied during the development of the survey. The observed asteroids have been classified using the Tholen and the Bus taxonomies which, in general, agree quite well.     

Near-infrared laboratory spectra of solid H2O/CO2 and CH3OH/CO2 ice mixtures

We present near-IR spectra of solid CO₂ in H₂O and CH₃OH, and find they are significantly different from that of pure solid CO₂. Peaks not present in either pure H₂O or pure CO₂ spectra become evident when the two are mixed. First, the putative theoretically forbidden CO₂ (2ν₃) overtone near 2.134 μm (4685 cm⁻¹), that is absent from our spectrum of pure solid CO₂, is prominent in the spectra of H₂O/CO₂=5 and 25 mixtures. Second, a 2.74-μm (3650 cm⁻¹) dangling OH feature of H₂O (and a potentially related peak at 1.89 μm) appear in the spectra of CO₂-H₂O ice mixtures, but are probably not diagnostic of the presence of CO₂. Other CO₂ peaks display shifts in position and increased width because of intermolecular interactions with H₂O. Warming causes some peak positions and profiles in the spectrum of a H₂O/CO₂=5 mixture to take on the appearance of pure CO₂. Absolute strengths for absorptions of CO₂ in solid H₂O are estimated. Similar results are observed for CO₂ in solid CH₃OH. Since the CO₂ (2ν₃) overtone near 2.134 μm (4685 cm⁻¹) is not present in pure CO₂ but prominent in mixtures, it may be a good observational (spectral) indicator of whether solid CO₂ is a pure material or intimately mixed with other molecules. These observations may be applicable to Mars polar caps as well as outer Solar System bodies.     

Spectral observations of 19 weathered and 23 fresh NEAs and their correlations with orbital parameters

Results of our visible to near-infrared spectrophotometric observations of 41 near-Earth asteroids (NEAs) are reported. These moderate-resolution spectra, along with 14 previously published spectra from our earlier survey [Hicks, M.D., Fink, U., Grundy, W.M., 1998. Icarus 133, 69-78] show a preponderance of spectra consistent with ordinary chondrites (23 NEAs with this type of spectrum, along with 19 S-types and 13 in other taxonomic groups). There exists statistically significant evidence for orbit-dependent trends in our data. While S-type NEAs from our survey reside primarily in (1) Amor orbits or (2) Aten or Apollo orbits which do not cross the asteroid main-belt, the majority of objects with spectra consistent with ordinary chondrites in our survey are in highly eccentric Apollo orbits which enter the asteroid main-belt. This trend toward fresh, relatively unweathered NEAs with ordinary chondrite type spectra in highly eccentric Apollo orbits is attributed to one or a combination of three possible causes: (1) the chaotic nature of NEA orbits can easily result in high eccentricity orbits/large aphelion distances so that they can enter the collisionally enhanced environment in the main-belt, exposing fresh surfaces, (2) they have recently been injected into such orbits after a collision in the main-belt, or (3) such objects cross the orbits of several terrestrial planets, causing tidal disruption events that expose fresh surfaces.