No abstract

We present measurements at optical wavelengths of the spectral reflectance, rotational light curve, and solar phase curve of 2003 EL61. With apparent visual magnitude 17.5 at 51 AU from the Sun, this newly discovered member of the classical Kuiper Belt is now the third brightest KBO after Pluto and 2005 FY9. Our observations reveal an unambiguous, double-peaked rotational light curve with period 3:9154 AE 0:0002 hr and peak-to-peak amplitude 0:28 AE 0:04 mag. This is the fastest rotation period reliably determined for any body in the solar system larger than 100 km. Assuming the body has relaxed over time to the shape taken by a homogenous fluid body, our observations tightly constrain the shape and density. Given the mass we recently determined for 2003 EL61 from the orbit of a small satellite, we also constrain the size and albedo. We find a total length of 1960-2500 km, a mean density of 2600-3340 kg m À3 , and a visual albedo greater than 0.6. We also measure a neutral reflectance at visible wavelengths and a linear phase curve with slope varying from 0.09 mag deg À1 in the B band to 0.13 mag deg À1 in the I band. The absolute V-band magnitude is 0:444 AE 0:021.

The spectrum of the bright Kuiper Belt object 2005 FY9 from 0.34 to 2.5 m is dominated by the red coloring of many outer solar system objects in the optical wavelength regime and by absorption due to methane in the near-infrared. The solid methane absorption lines are significantly broader on 2005 FY9 than on any other solar system body, indicating long optical path lengths through the methane. These long path lengths can be parameterized as a methane grain size of approximately 1 cm in a Hapke reflectance model. In addition to large-grained methane, the infrared spectrum also indicates the clear presence of ethane, an expected product of UV photolysis of methane. No evidence for N 2 or CO, both known to be present on Pluto, is found. We suggest that the large differences between the spectrum of 2005 FY9 and that of Pluto and 2003 UB313 is due to a depletion of nitrogen on the surface of 2005 FY9 that leads to large methane grains, abundant sites for ethane formation through UV photolysis, and highly irradiated tholin-like material.

We report the detection of crystalline water ice on the surface of 2003 EL 61 . Reflectance spectra were collected from Gemini North telescope from 1.0 to 2.4 µm wavelength range, and from the Keck telescope across the 1.4 to 2.4 µm wavelength range. The signature of crystalline water ice is obvious in all data collected. Like the surfaces of many outer solar system bodies, the surface of 2003 EL 61 is rich in crystalline water ice, which is energetically less favored than amorphous water ice at low temperatures, suggesting that resurfacing processes may be taking place. The near infrared color of the object is much bluer than a pure water ice model. Adding a near infrared blue component such as hydrogen cyanide or phyllosilicate clays improves the fit considerably, with hydrogen cyanide providing the greatest improvement. The addition of hydrated tholins and bitumens also improves the fit but is inconsistent with the neutral V − J reflectance of 2003 EL 61 . A small decrease in reflectance beyond 2.3 µm may be attributable to cyanide salts. Overall, the reflected light from 2003 EL 61 is best fit by a model of 2/3 to 4/5 pure crystalline water ice and 1/3 to 1/5 near infrared blue component such as hydrogen cyanide or kaolinite. The surface of 2003 EL 61 is unlikely to be covered by significant amounts of dark material such as carbon black, as our pure ice models reproduce published albedo estimates derived from the spin state of 2003 EL 61 .

We present here an extensive survey of near-infrared (NIR) spectra of Kuiper belt objects (KBOs) and Centaurs taken with the Keck I Telescope. We find that most spectra in our sample are well characterized by a combination of water ice and a featureless continuum. A comparative analysis reveals that the NIR spectral properties have little correlation to the visible colors or albedo, with the exception of the fragment KBOs produced from the giant impact on 2003 EL61. The results suggest that the surface composition of KBOs is heterogeneous, though the exposure of water ice may be controlled by geophysical processes. The Centaurs also display diverse spectral properties, but the source of the variability remains unclear. The results for both the KBOs and the Centaurs point to inherent heterogeneity in either the processes acting on these objects or materials from which they formed.