NEOWISE: Observations of the Irregular Satellites of Jupiter and Saturn

Abstract

We present thermal model fits for 11 Jovian and 3 Saturnian irregular satellites based on measurements from the WISE/NEOWISE dataset. Our fits confirm spacecraft-measured diameters for the objects with in situ observations (Himalia and Phoebe) and provide diameters and albedo for 12 previously unmeasured objects, 10 Jovian and 2 Saturnian irregular satellites. The best-fit thermal model beaming parameters are comparable to what is observed for other small bodies in the outer Solar System, while the visible, W1, and W2 albedos trace the taxonomic classifications previously established in the literature. Reflectance properties for the irregular satellites measured are similar to the Jovian Trojan and Hilda Populations, implying common origins.

17 pages, 3 figures, accepted for publication in Astrophysical Journal

References in corpus (5)

• Irregular Satellites of the Planets: Products of Capture in the Early Solar System
• Main Belt Asteroids with WISE/NEOWISE: Near-Infrared Albedos
• Capture of Irregular Satellites at Jupiter
• A deeper look at the colors of the Saturnian irregular satellites
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