NEOWISE: OBSERVATIONS OF THE IRREGULAR SATELLITES OF JUPITER AND SATURN

Journal Article · Mon Aug 10 00:00:00 EDT 2015 · Astrophysical Journal

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1088/0004-637X/809/1/3· OSTI ID:22525703

Grav, T. ^[1]; Bauer, J. M.; Mainzer, A. K.; Masiero, J. R.; Sonnett, S.; Kramer, E. ^[2]; Nugent, C. R.

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1. Planetary Science Institute, Tucson, AZ 85719 (United States)
2. Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109 (United States)

We present thermal model fits for 11 Jovian and 3 Saturnian irregular satellites based on measurements from the WISE/NEOWISE data set. Our fits confirm spacecraft-measured diameters for the objects with in situ observations (Himalia and Phoebe) and provide diameters and albedo for 12 previously unmeasured objects, 10 Jovian and 2 Saturnian irregular satellites. The best-fit thermal model beaming parameters are comparable to what is observed for other small bodies in the outer solar system, while the visible, W1, and W2 albedos trace the taxonomic classifications previously established in the literature. Reflectance properties for the irregular satellites measured are similar to the Jovian Trojan and Hilda Populations, implying common origins.

• OSTI ID: 22525703
• Journal Information: Astrophysical Journal, Vol. 809, Issue 1; Other Information: Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0004-637X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

79 ASTROPHYSICS
COSMOLOGY AND ASTRONOMY
ALBEDO
CLASSIFICATION
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
DETECTION
JUPITER PLANET
SATELLITES
SATURN PLANET
SOLAR SYSTEM
SPACE VEHICLES
SPECTRAL REFLECTANCE