Search Publications
Hunting for Hydrated Minerals on Trans-Neptunian Objects
Fraser, Wesley C.; Puzia, Thomas H.; Seccull, Tom +1 more
We present new optical reflectance spectra of three potentially silicate-rich trans-Neptunian objects (TNOs). These spectra were obtained with the aim of confirming past hints and detections of λ ∼ 0.7 µm absorption features associated with the presence of iron-bearing phyllosilicates. Our new spectrum of 120216 (2004 EW95) presen…
JWST Spectrophotometry of the Small Satellites of Uranus and Neptune
Brown, Michael E.; Belyakov, Matthew; Wong, Ian +2 more
We use 1.4–4.6 µm multiband photometry of the small inner Uranian and Neptunian satellites obtained with the James Webb Space Telescope's near-infrared imager NIRCam to characterize their surface compositions. We find that the satellites of the ice giants have, to first order, similar compositions to one another, with a 3.0 µm absorpti…
Rotational Study of 5:3 and 7:4 Resonant Objects within the Main Classical Trans-Neptunian Belt
Thirouin, Audrey; Sheppard, Scott S.
The 5:3 and 7:4 mean motion resonances of Neptune are at 42.3 and 43.7 au, respectively, and overlap with objects in the classical trans-Neptunian belt (Kuiper Belt). We report the complete/partial lightcurves of 13 and 14 trans-Neptunian objects (TNOs) in the 5:3 and 7:4 resonances, respectively. We report a most likely contact binary in the 7:4 …
Mapping "Brain Terrain" Regions on Mars Using Deep Learning
Zhao, Daniel; Noe, Eldar; Morgan, Alexander M. +2 more
One of the main objectives of the Mars Exploration Program is to search for evidence of past or current life on the planet. To achieve this, Mars exploration has been focusing on regions that may have liquid or frozen water. A set of critical areas may have seen cycles of ice thawing in the relatively recent past in response to periodic changes in…
Zonal and Regional Jupiter Brightness Trends from the Hubble Outer Planet Atmospheres Legacy Program
Wong, Michael H.; Simon, Amy A.
The Hubble Outer Planet Atmospheres Legacy program began in 2014 and has observed Jupiter yearly from 2015 to 2024. Using high spatial resolution imaging from the Hubble Wide Field Camera 3, brightness trends were investigated focusing on the unique UV capability and absolute calibration consistency of the Hubble Space Telescope. From these data, …
SOHO SWAN Lyα Models Supporting LRO LAMP: 2008–2023
Pryor, Wayne R.; Gladstone, G. Randall; Quémerais, Eric +5 more
The Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Lyman-Alpha Mapping Project (LAMP) has been mapping the Moon since its launch in 2009. Faint ultraviolet illumination of the lunar dark side includes light from stars and from hydrogen Lyα emissions, mostly attributed to sunlight scattered by hydrogen atoms near the Sun with a smaller contribution from the whole Ga…
Stellar Occultations in the Era of Data Mining and Modern Regression Models: Using Gaussian Processes to Analyze Light Curves and Improve Predictions
Person, Michael J.; Levine, Stephen E.; Krabbe, Alfred +3 more
Gaussian process (GP) regression is a nonparametric Bayesian approach that has been used successfully in various astronomical domains, especially in time-domain astronomy. The most common applications are the smoothing of data for interpolation and the detection of periodicities. The ability to create unbiased data-driven models without a predefin…
Characterization of the Dust and Sodium Tails of Comet C/2020 F3 (NEOWISE) from Parker Solar Probe and Amateur Observations
Coates, Andrew J.; Afghan, Qasim; Jones, Geraint H. +2 more
Comet C/2020 F3 (NEOWISE) reached perihelion on 2020 July 3 at 0.29 au and exhibited a highly structured dust tail. Using a simplified Finson–Probstein model, structures such as striae, observed in the tail in images obtained by the Parker Solar Probe spacecraft and amateur observers, are characterized in this work and parameterized in terms of du…
Observations of Uranus at High Phase Angle as Seen by New Horizons
Mayorga, L. C.; Singer, Kelsi N.; Stern, S. Alan +14 more
We present flux measurements of Uranus observed at phase angles of 43.°9, 44.°0, and 52.°4 by the Multispectral Visible Imaging Camera on the New Horizons spacecraft during 2023, 2010, and 2019, respectively. New Horizons imaged Uranus at a distance of about 24–70 au (2023) in four color filters, with bandpasses of 400–550 nm, 540–700 nm, 780–975 …
Accretion of Meteoric Organic Matter at the Surface of Mars and Potential Production of Methane by Ultraviolet Radiation
Janches, Diego; Villanueva, Gerónimo L.; Carrillo-Sánchez, Juan Diego +1 more
In this study, a comprehensive model of the meteoric organic cycle on Mars for the current geological period is developed, which characterizes the ablation of exogenous organic matter in the upper atmosphere, the accretion of intact carbon at the surface, and the potential production of methane by UV photolysis from the surface reservoir. The mode…