Kuiper Belt Science with JWST
Abstract
Observation IDs: HINES_1000, HINES_1001, HINES_2000, HINES_2001, HINES_3000, HINES_3001, HINES_4000, HINES_5000, HINES_6000, HINES_7000, HINES_8000, HINES_9000, HINES_10000, WRIGHT_2001
We plan to exploit JWST’s exquisite sensitivity in the 1-5 micron region to study the largest trans-Neptunian Objects and Kuiper Belt objects via reflectance spectroscopy. The composition of even the largest of these bodies is poorly constrained. We propose to use NIRSpec’s IFU to obtain the first high-SNR, R > 100 spectra for a sample of these objects. MIRI spectra will also be obtained on some targets. These data can be expected to reveal the presence of previously unseen molecular ices, constrain their physical state (crystalline phase, solution with other species, temperature, grain-size), identify new organic species, and constrain isotopic ratios for some elements (H, O, C, N). MIRI MRS and Imaging data will also be used to study temperature variations on several targets, and will be interpreted in the context of existing Herschel and/or Spitzer thermal data. The targets represent a large fraction of the diversity of the Kuiper Belt in terms of collisional history (Pluto and Haumea underwent catastrophic impacts), effects of planetary migration (resonant, classical, Centaur and scattered objects), multiplicity (several host at least one moon), albedo, and major species composition (H2O, CH4, N2, NH3, CO). These objects represent the end-state of accretion and subsequent processing in the Kuiper Belt. This initial reconnaissance of their surface compositions will inform our understanding of the long history of processes in the outermost regions of the Sun’s proto-planetary disk.- Publication:
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JWST Proposal. Cycle 1
- Pub Date:
- July 2017
- Bibcode:
- 2017jwst.prop.1272H