Water Ice in 2060 Chiron and Its Implications for Centaurs and Kuiper Belt Objects.

@article{Luu2000WaterII,
  title={Water Ice in 2060 Chiron and Its Implications for Centaurs and Kuiper Belt Objects.},
  author={Luu and Jewitt and Trujillo},
  journal={The Astrophysical journal},
  year={2000},
  volume={531 2},
  pages={
          L151-L154
        }
}
  • Luu, Jewitt, Trujillo
  • Published 4 February 2000
  • Physics, Geology
  • The Astrophysical journal
We report the detection of water ice in the Centaur 2060 Chiron, based on near-infrared spectra (1.0-2.5 µm) taken with the 3.8 m United Kingdom Infrared Telescope and the 10 m Keck Telescope. The appearance of this ice is correlated with the recent decline in Chiron's cometary activity: the decrease in the coma cross section allows previously hidden solid-state surface features to be seen. We predict that water ice is ubiquitous among Centaurs and Kuiper Belt objects, but its surface coverage… 
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