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Infrared Spectroscopy of Large, Low-Albedo Asteroids: Are Ceres and Themis Archetypes or Outliers?

Emery, Joshua P.; Rivkin, Andrew S.; Howell, Ellen S.

Low-albedo, hydrated objects dominate the list of the largest asteroids. These objects have varied spectral shapes in the 3-µm region, where diagnostic absorptions due to volatile species are found. Dawn's visit to Ceres has extended the view shaped by ground-based observing and shown that world to be a complex one, potentially still experie…