[Previous] | [Session 20] | [Next]
D. Jewitt (University of Hawaii), J. Luu (University of Leiden), C. Trujillo (University of Hawaii)
The Kuiper Belt Objects (KBOs) are primitive bodies from which the Centaur and Jupiter-family comet populations are derived. Measurements of the physical properties of KBOs promise to throw light on the chemical nature and modification histories of outer solar system objects. Such measurements are, however, extremely challenging.
We present the results of new photometric and spectroscopic observations of KBOs taken using the Keck 10-m and Subaru 8-m telescopes. In the optical (BVRI), we find a color dispersion that is large compared to the uncertainties of measurement. Independently, we find parallel evidence for spectral diversity in the near infrared (JHK) region. As examples, we present new spectra of 1999 DE9 (which shows water) and 2000 EB173 (which does not).
The reflection properties of KBOs are clearly not all the same. These properties show no statistically significant correlation with heliocentric distance, any orbital parameter or any other physical properties (notably size). This important lack of correlation will be discussed.
If you would like more information about this abstract, please follow the link to http://www.ifa.hawaii.edu/~jewitt/kb.html. This link was provided by the author. When you follow it, you will leave the Web site for this meeting; to return, you should use the Back comand on your browser.