Bibcode
Campins, Humberto; Hargrove, K.; Howell, E. S.; Kelley, M. S.; Licandro, J.; Mothé-Diniz, T.; Ziffer, J.; Fernandez, Y.; Pinilla-Alonso, N.
Bibliographical reference
American Astronomical Society, DPS meeting #41, #32.05
Advertised on:
9
2009
Citations
0
Refereed citations
0
Description
We have confirmed the detection of a surprising, and so far unique,
absorption feature on a main-belt asteroid, 24 Themis. Our 2 to 4 micron
reflectance spectra were obtained over 7 hours (84% of Themis’
rotational period) on January 23, 2008 UT, from NASA's Infrared
Telescope Facility. All our spectra confirm the shape and depth of the
3.1 micron absorption reported by Rivkin and Emery (2008) and show this
absorption is present throughout the asteroid's rotation. The shape and
wavelength of this absorption is interpreted by Rivkin and Emery (2008)
as due to water ice, as opposed to hydrated minerals originally
suggested by Lebofsky et al. (1990). Our spectra fit well the same water
ice model used by Rivkin and Emery (2008), and are significantly
different from spectra of hydrated silicates found in asteroids and
meteorites. As Rivkin and Emery (2008) state, "If confirmed, a finding
of water ice on Themis would be the first detection of ice on an
asteroidal surface, and the first detection of water per se (as opposed
to OH) on an asteroidal surface."
This likely presence of water ice opens up interesting possibilities
that could transform current views of some asteroids. For example, since
water ice is not stable on the surface of Themis at 3.2 AU over 4.5 Gy,
what is its source? What does this imply about the interior of this
asteroid and of other members of this family? Could impacts with this
type of asteroid have been a significant source of Earth's water? The
presence of water ice on 24 Themis would support arguments that the
cometary activity in at least two small members of this family is driven
by sublimation of water ice (Hsieh and Jewitt 2006) and that these
"activated asteroids” originated in this family (Licandro et al.
2007).