Water vaporization on Ceres
Abstract
We present long-exposure IUE spectra of the region around Ceres in which one might find escaping OH resulting from the photodissociation of atmospheric water vapor. An exposure off the southern limb of Ceres before perihelion shows no evidence for OH emission. An exposure off the northern limb of Ceres after perihelion shows a statistically significant detection of OH. The amount of OH is consistent with, among many possibilities, a polar cap which is replenished during winter by subsurface percolation as discussed by Fanale and Salvail (1989, Icarus 82, 97-110) and which dissipates in summer.
- Publication:
-
Icarus
- Pub Date:
- July 1992
- DOI:
- 10.1016/0019-1035(92)90206-M
- Bibcode:
- 1992Icar...98...54A
- Keywords:
-
- Ceres Asteroid;
- Planetary Composition;
- Vaporizing;
- Water Vapor;
- Absorption Spectra;
- Outgassing;
- Photodissociation;
- Regolith;
- Ultraviolet Spectra