[11.02] Pluto spectra from 2.8 to 3.7 $\mu$m

36th DPS Meeting, 8-12 November 2004
Session 11 Pluto, Triton, and TNO Surfaces
Oral, Tuesday, November 9, 2004, 10:30am-12:00noon, Clark

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[11.02] Pluto spectra from 2.8 to 3.7 \mum

C. B. Olkin, E. F. Young (SWRI), W. M. Grundy (Lowell Obs.), L. A. Young (SWRI)

We will present new spectra of Pluto from 2.8 to 3.7 \mum. This wavelength range encompasses a strong methane ice band at 3.3 \mum. These observations were recorded on August 12, 2001 using NIRSPEC spectrograph on the Keck II. The resolution (R=380) is about 4 times that of previously published work at these wavelengths. We used an optimal extraction method to derive the Pluto spectrum.

We will present results from fits of the spectrum using a Hapke model and optical constants for methane ice. The deepest section of the methane band is saturated, but the wings of the band are useful for constraining methane abundance and grain size. Methane abundance and grain size from this band will be compared to previous results from 2.35 \mum and 1.7 \mum spectra of Pluto.

This work was supported by NASA's Planetary Astronomy Program NAG5-12516 and the NSF Life in Extreme Enviroments Program AST-0085614.

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