Near-Infrared Spectroscopy of Outer Solar System Objects

AST 0098665CampinsDr. Humberto Campins将领导一项为期三年的系统性研究，研究半人马座，外海王星天体（TNO）和彗星家族（JF）的非活动核。 他将获得近红外光谱作为这三个群体成员的旋转相位的函数。如果我们要了解这三种原始太阳系天体之间的进化联系，就必须对相当数量的半人马座、TNO和JF彗星的光谱变化与旋转相位进行适当的研究。 Campins博士将使用亚利桑那州新的6.5米MMT设施进行观察，该设施将允许对每个种群的足够成员进行详细观察，以便对其属性进行适当的比较。他已经证明了其中一个天体（8405 Asbolus）作为旋转相位的函数，具有显著的光谱变化。

AST 0098665CampinsDr. Humberto Campins will lead a systematic three-year study of Centaurs, Transneptunian Objects (TNOs), and inactive nuclei of Jupiter-family (JF) comets. He will obtain near-infrared spectra as a function of rotational phase for members of these three groups. The proper study of the spectral variability with rotational phase in a significant number of Centaurs, TNOs, and JF comets is essential if we are to understand the evolutionary links between these three populations of primitive Solar System objects. Dr. Campins will observe with the new 6.5- meter MMT facility in Arizona, which will allow detailed observations of enough members of each population for a proper comparison of their properties. He has already demonstrated that one of these objects (8405 Asbolus) has a dramatic spectral variation as a function of rotational phase.***