Implied Evolutionary Differences of the Jovian Irregular Satellites from a BVR Color Survey

Autor: Terrence W. Rettig, Kevin J. Walsh, Guy J. Consolmagno
Rok vydání: 2001
Předmět:
Zdroj: Icarus. 154:313-320
ISSN: 0019-1035
Popis: We present BVR colors and magnitudes for four jovian irregular prograde satellites (Himalia J6, Elara J7, Lysithea J10, and Leda J13) and four irregular retrograde satellites (Pasiphae J8, Sinope J9, Carme J11, and Ananke J12). All eight have generally ‘solar’ colors but the retrograde group has slightly redder and more diverse colors. The strikingly similar colors of the four prograde satellites suggest the parent planetesimal was likely very homogeneous. The four retrograde satellites show a diversity in color that suggests a heterogeneous progenitor and thus variations in precapture formation history. The absolute magnitudes and revised diameters are presented. We also report new colors and diameters for two uranian irregular satellites (Caliban (S/1997 U1) and Sycorax (S/1997 U2) that are slightly redder than any of these jovian satellites.
Databáze: OpenAIRE