Spectral Trends across the Rings and Inner Moons of Uranus and Neptune from JWST NIRCam Images
JWST NIRCam images provide low-resolution spectra of the rings and inner moons orbiting Uranus and Neptune. These data reveal systematic variations in spectral parameters like the strength of the strong OH absorption band around 3 μ m and the spectral slopes at continuum wavelengths. Neptune’s rings...
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| Format: | Article |
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IOP Publishing
2025-01-01
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| Series: | The Planetary Science Journal |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.3847/PSJ/adf325 |
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| author | M. M. Hedman I. de Pater R. J. Cartwright M. El Moutamid R. DeColibus M. R. Showalter M. S. Tiscareno N. Rowe-Gurney M. T. Roman L. N. Fletcher H. B. Hammel |
| author_facet | M. M. Hedman I. de Pater R. J. Cartwright M. El Moutamid R. DeColibus M. R. Showalter M. S. Tiscareno N. Rowe-Gurney M. T. Roman L. N. Fletcher H. B. Hammel |
| author_sort | M. M. Hedman |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | JWST NIRCam images provide low-resolution spectra of the rings and inner moons orbiting Uranus and Neptune. These data reveal systematic variations in spectral parameters like the strength of the strong OH absorption band around 3 μ m and the spectral slopes at continuum wavelengths. Neptune’s rings show an extremely weak 3 μ m band, which is likely due to the small particle sizes in these dusty rings. Neptune’s small inner moons also have weaker 3 μ m bands and redder continua than Uranus’ small inner moons, indicating that Neptune’s moons have a lower water-ice fraction. There are also clear spectral trends across the inner Uranian system. The strength of the 3 μ m band clearly increases with distance from Uranus, with the rings having a noticeably weaker 3 μ m band than most of the small inner moons, which have a weaker 3 μ m band than the larger moons like Miranda. While the rings and most of the small moons have neutral spectra between 1.4 and 2.1 μ m, the outermost small moon Mab exhibits a blue spectral slope comparable to Miranda, indicating that Mab’s surface may also be relatively water ice rich. The next moon interior to Mab, Puck, exhibits a stronger 3 μ m band and bluer continuum slope than any of the moons orbiting interior to it, perhaps indicating that it is being covered by water-ice-rich material derived from Mab via the μ ring. Finally, the small moon Rosalind has a redder spectral slope than its neighbors, possibly due to being coated with material from the dusty ν ring. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-35aa5bab4e984a52b09c2337eb33dad3 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2632-3338 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | IOP Publishing |
| record_format | Article |
| series | The Planetary Science Journal |
| spelling | doaj-art-35aa5bab4e984a52b09c2337eb33dad32025-08-26T06:43:04ZengIOP PublishingThe Planetary Science Journal2632-33382025-01-016820410.3847/PSJ/adf325Spectral Trends across the Rings and Inner Moons of Uranus and Neptune from JWST NIRCam ImagesM. M. Hedman0https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8592-0812I. de Pater1https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4278-3168R. J. Cartwright2https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6886-6009M. El Moutamid3https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4416-8011R. DeColibus4https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1647-2358M. R. Showalter5https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8580-4053M. S. Tiscareno6https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2736-3667N. Rowe-Gurney7https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8692-5538M. T. Roman8https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8206-2165L. N. Fletcher9https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5834-9588H. B. Hammel10University of Idaho , Moscow, ID, USAUniversity of California , Berkeley, CA, USAJHU-APL , Laurel, MD, USASwRI , Boulder, CO, USAJPL , Pasadena, CA, USASETI Institute , Mountain View, CA, USASETI Institute , Mountain View, CA, USAIndependent Scientist, UKUniversity of Leicester , Leicester, UK; Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez , Santiago, ChileUniversity of Leicester , Leicester, UKAURA , Washington, DC, USAJWST NIRCam images provide low-resolution spectra of the rings and inner moons orbiting Uranus and Neptune. These data reveal systematic variations in spectral parameters like the strength of the strong OH absorption band around 3 μ m and the spectral slopes at continuum wavelengths. Neptune’s rings show an extremely weak 3 μ m band, which is likely due to the small particle sizes in these dusty rings. Neptune’s small inner moons also have weaker 3 μ m bands and redder continua than Uranus’ small inner moons, indicating that Neptune’s moons have a lower water-ice fraction. There are also clear spectral trends across the inner Uranian system. The strength of the 3 μ m band clearly increases with distance from Uranus, with the rings having a noticeably weaker 3 μ m band than most of the small inner moons, which have a weaker 3 μ m band than the larger moons like Miranda. While the rings and most of the small moons have neutral spectra between 1.4 and 2.1 μ m, the outermost small moon Mab exhibits a blue spectral slope comparable to Miranda, indicating that Mab’s surface may also be relatively water ice rich. The next moon interior to Mab, Puck, exhibits a stronger 3 μ m band and bluer continuum slope than any of the moons orbiting interior to it, perhaps indicating that it is being covered by water-ice-rich material derived from Mab via the μ ring. Finally, the small moon Rosalind has a redder spectral slope than its neighbors, possibly due to being coated with material from the dusty ν ring.https://doi.org/10.3847/PSJ/adf325Uranian satellitesUranusNeptuneNeptunian satellitesPlanetary ringsIce spectroscopy |
| spellingShingle | M. M. Hedman I. de Pater R. J. Cartwright M. El Moutamid R. DeColibus M. R. Showalter M. S. Tiscareno N. Rowe-Gurney M. T. Roman L. N. Fletcher H. B. Hammel Spectral Trends across the Rings and Inner Moons of Uranus and Neptune from JWST NIRCam Images The Planetary Science Journal Uranian satellites Uranus Neptune Neptunian satellites Planetary rings Ice spectroscopy |
| title | Spectral Trends across the Rings and Inner Moons of Uranus and Neptune from JWST NIRCam Images |
| title_full | Spectral Trends across the Rings and Inner Moons of Uranus and Neptune from JWST NIRCam Images |
| title_fullStr | Spectral Trends across the Rings and Inner Moons of Uranus and Neptune from JWST NIRCam Images |
| title_full_unstemmed | Spectral Trends across the Rings and Inner Moons of Uranus and Neptune from JWST NIRCam Images |
| title_short | Spectral Trends across the Rings and Inner Moons of Uranus and Neptune from JWST NIRCam Images |
| title_sort | spectral trends across the rings and inner moons of uranus and neptune from jwst nircam images |
| topic | Uranian satellites Uranus Neptune Neptunian satellites Planetary rings Ice spectroscopy |
| url | https://doi.org/10.3847/PSJ/adf325 |
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