Identification of Water Ice on the Centaur 1997 CU26
Robert H. Brown,
*
Dale P. Cruikshank,
Yvonne Pendleton,
Glenn J. Veeder
Spectra of the Centaur 1997 CU26 were obtained at the Keck
Observatory on 27 October 1997 (universal time). The data show strong
absorptions at 1.52 and 2.03 micrometers attributable to water ice on
the surface of 1997 CU26. The reflectance spectrum of 1997 CU26 is
matched by the spectrum of a mixture of low-temperature, particulate
water ice and spectrally featureless but otherwise red-colored
material. Water ice dominates the spectrum of 1997 CU26, whereas
methane or methane-like hydrocarbons apparently dominate the spectrum
of the Kuiper belt object 1993 SC, perhaps indicating different
origins, thermal histories, or both for these two objects.
R. H. Brown, Lunar and Planetary Lab and Steward Observatory,
University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA.
D. P. Cruikshank and Y. Pendleton, NASA Ames Research Center, M.S.
N245-6, Moffett Field, CA 94035, USA.
G. J. Veeder, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of
Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109, USA.
*
To whom correspondence should be addressed.
