• DOI:10.1051/0004-6361:20078166
• Corpus ID: 6723533

Near-Infrared Mapping and Physical Properties of the Dwarf-Planet Ceres

@article{Carry2008NearInfraredMA,
  title={Near-Infrared Mapping and Physical Properties of the Dwarf-Planet Ceres},
  author={Beno{\^i}t Carry and Christophe Dumas and Marcello Fulchignoni and William J. Merline and J{\'e}r{\^o}me Berthier and Daniel Hestroffer and Thierry Fusco and Peter M. Tamblyn},
  journal={Astronomy and Astrophysics},
  year={2008},
  volume={478},
  pages={235-244}
}

• B. Carry, C. Dumas, +5 authors P. Tamblyn
• Published 7 November 2007
• Physics, Geology
• Astronomy and Astrophysics

Aims. We study the physical characteristics (shape, dimensions, spin axis direction, albedo maps, mineralogy) of the dwarf-planet Ceres based on high-angular resolution near-infrared observations. Methods. We analyze adaptive optics J/H/K imaging observations of Ceres performed at Keck II Observatory in September 2002 with an equivalent spatial resolution of∼50 km. The spectral behavior of the main geological features present on Ceres is compared with laboratory samples. Results. Ceres’ shape can be described by an oblate spheroid ( a = b = 479.7± 2.3 km, c = 444.4± 2.1 km) with EQJ2000.0 spin vector coordinatesα0 = 288 ◦ ± 5 ◦ andδ0 = +66 ◦ ± 5 ◦ . Ceres sidereal period is measured to be 9.074 10 +0.000 10 −0.000 14 h. We image surface features with diameters in the 50-180 km range and an albedo contrast of∼6% with respect to the average Ceres albedo. The spectral behavior of the brightest regions on Ceres is consistent wit h phyllosilicates and carbonate compounds. Darker isolated regions could be related to the presence of frost.