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A Pluto-like radius and a high albedo for the dwarf planet Eris from an occultation

Sicardy, B. and Ortiz, J.L. and Assafin, M. and Jehin, E. and Maury, A. and Lellouch, E. and Gil Hutton, R. and Braga-Ribas, F. and Colas, F. and Herstroffer, D. and Lecacheux, J. and Roques, F. and Santos-Sanz, P. and Widemann, T. and Morales, N. and Duffard, R. and Thirouin, A. and Castro-Tirado, A.J. and Jelınek, M. and Kubanek, P. and Sota, A. and Sanchez-Ramirez, R. and Andrei, A.H. and Camargo, J.I.B. and da Silva Neto, D.N. and Ramos Gomes Jr., A. and Vieira Martins, R. and Gillon, M. and Manfroid, J. and Tozzi, G.P. and Harlingten, C. and Saravia, S. and Behrend, R. and Mottola, S. and Garcia Melendo, E. and Peris, V. and Fabregat, J. and Madiedo, J.M. and Cuesta, L. and Eibe, M.T. and Ullan, A. and Organero, F. and Pastor, S. and de los Reyes, J.A. and Pedraz, S. and Castro, A. and de la Cueva, I. and Muler, G. and Steele, I.A. and Cebrian, M. and Montanes-Rodriguez, P. and Oscoz, A. and Weaver, D. and Jacques, C. and Corradi, W.J.B. and Santos, F.P. and Reis, W. and Milone, A. and Emilio, M. and Gutierrez, L. and Vazquez, R. and Hernandez-Toledo, H. (2011) A Pluto-like radius and a high albedo for the dwarf planet Eris from an occultation. Nature, 478, pp. 493-496. Nature Publishing Group. doi: 10.1038/nature10550.

Full text not available from this repository.

Official URL: http://www.nature.com/nature/index.html

Abstract

The dwarf planet Eris is a trans-Neptunian object with an orbital eccentricity of 0.44, an inclination of 44 degrees and a surface composition very similar to that of Pluto. It resides at present at 95.7 astronomical units (1 AU is the Earth-Sun distance) from Earth, near its aphelion and more than three times farther than Pluto. Owing to this great distance, measuring its size or detecting a putative atmosphere is difficult. Here we report the observation of a multi-chord stellar occultation by Eris on 6 November 2010 UT. The event is consistent with a spherical shape for Eris, with radius 1,163 ± 66 kilometres, density 2.52 ± 0.05 grams per cm3 and a high visible geometric albedo, pV=0.96 (+0.09; -0.04). No nitrogen, argon or methane atmospheres are detected with surface pressure larger than 1 nanobar, about 10,000 times more tenuous than Pluto’s present atmosphere. As Pluto’s radius is estimated to be between 1,150 and 1,200 kilometres, Eris appears as a Pluto twin, with a bright surface possibly caused by a collapsed atmosphere, owing to its cold environment. We anticipate that this atmosphere may periodically sublimate as Eris approaches its perihelion, at 37.8 astronomical units from the Sun.

Item URL in elib:https://elib.dlr.de/71700/
Document Type:Article
Title:A Pluto-like radius and a high albedo for the dwarf planet Eris from an occultation
Authors:
AuthorsInstitution or Email of AuthorsAuthor's ORCID iD
Sicardy, B.LESIAUNSPECIFIED
Ortiz, J.L.Instituto de Astrofısica de AndalucıaUNSPECIFIED
Assafin, M.Observatorio do ValongoUNSPECIFIED
Jehin, E.Universite de LiegeUNSPECIFIED
Maury, A.Celestial ExplorationsUNSPECIFIED
Lellouch, E.LESIAUNSPECIFIED
Gil Hutton, R.CASLEOUNSPECIFIED
Braga-Ribas, F.LESIAUNSPECIFIED
Colas, F.CNRSUNSPECIFIED
Herstroffer, D.CNRSUNSPECIFIED
Lecacheux, J.LESIAUNSPECIFIED
Roques, F.LESIAUNSPECIFIED
Santos-Sanz, P.LESIAUNSPECIFIED
Widemann, T.LESIAUNSPECIFIED
Morales, N.Instituto de Astrofısica de AndalucıaUNSPECIFIED
Duffard, R.Instituto de Astrofısica de AndalucıaUNSPECIFIED
Thirouin, A.Instituto de Astrofısica de AndalucıaUNSPECIFIED
Castro-Tirado, A.J.Instituto de Astrofısica de AndalucıaUNSPECIFIED
Jelınek, M.Instituto de Astrofısica de AndalucıaUNSPECIFIED
Kubanek, P.Instituto de Astrofısica de AndalucıaUNSPECIFIED
Sota, A.Instituto de Astrofısica de AndalucıaUNSPECIFIED
Sanchez-Ramirez, R.Instituto de Astrofısica de AndalucıaUNSPECIFIED
Andrei, A.H.Observatorio do ValongoUNSPECIFIED
Camargo, J.I.B.Observatorio do ValongoUNSPECIFIED
da Silva Neto, D.N.MCTUNSPECIFIED
Ramos Gomes Jr., A.Observatorio do ValongoUNSPECIFIED
Vieira Martins, R.Observatorio do ValongoUNSPECIFIED
Gillon, M.Universite de LiegeUNSPECIFIED
Manfroid, J.Universite de LiegeUNSPECIFIED
Tozzi, G.P.INAFUNSPECIFIED
Harlingten, C.Caisey Harlingten ObservatoryUNSPECIFIED
Saravia, S.Celestial ExplorationsUNSPECIFIED
Behrend, R.Observatoire de GeneveUNSPECIFIED
Mottola, S.UNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Garcia Melendo, E.CSIC-IEECUNSPECIFIED
Peris, V.Universitat de ValenciaUNSPECIFIED
Fabregat, J.Universitat de ValenciaUNSPECIFIED
Madiedo, J.M.Universitad de HuelvaUNSPECIFIED
Cuesta, L.CSIC-INTAUNSPECIFIED
Eibe, M.T.CSIC-INTAUNSPECIFIED
Ullan, A.CSIC-INTAUNSPECIFIED
Organero, F.Observatorio astronomico de La HitaUNSPECIFIED
Pastor, S.Observatorio de la MurtaUNSPECIFIED
de los Reyes, J.A.Observatorio de la MurtaUNSPECIFIED
Pedraz, S.Calar Alto ObservatoryUNSPECIFIED
Castro, A.Sociedad Malaguena de AstronomiaUNSPECIFIED
de la Cueva, I.AstroimagenUNSPECIFIED
Muler, G.Observatorio NazaretUNSPECIFIED
Steele, I.A.Liverpool JMUUNSPECIFIED
Cebrian, M.Instituto de Astrofısica de CanariasUNSPECIFIED
Montanes-Rodriguez, P.Instituto de Astrofısica de CanariasUNSPECIFIED
Oscoz, A.Instituto de Astrofısica de CanariasUNSPECIFIED
Weaver, D.Observatorio Astronomico ChristusUNSPECIFIED
Jacques, C.CEAMIG-REAUNSPECIFIED
Corradi, W.J.B.Universidade Federal de Minas GeraisUNSPECIFIED
Santos, F.P.Universidade Federal de Minas GeraisUNSPECIFIED
Reis, W.Universidade Federal de Minas GeraisUNSPECIFIED
Milone, A.INPE-MCTUNSPECIFIED
Emilio, M.Universidade Estadual de Ponta GrossaUNSPECIFIED
Gutierrez, L.Universidad Nacional Autonoma de MexicoUNSPECIFIED
Vazquez, R.Universidad Nacional Autonoma de MexicoUNSPECIFIED
Hernandez-Toledo, H.Universidad Nacional Autonoma de MexicoUNSPECIFIED
Date:27 October 2011
Journal or Publication Title:Nature
Refereed publication:Yes
Open Access:No
Gold Open Access:No
In SCOPUS:Yes
In ISI Web of Science:Yes
Volume:478
DOI:10.1038/nature10550
Page Range:pp. 493-496
Publisher:Nature Publishing Group
Status:Published
Keywords:Eris, Pluto, dwarf planet, albedo
HGF - Research field:Aeronautics, Space and Transport (old)
HGF - Program:Space (old)
HGF - Program Themes:W EW - Erforschung des Weltraums
DLR - Research area:Space
DLR - Program:W EW - Erforschung des Weltraums
DLR - Research theme (Project):W - Vorhaben Exploration des Sonnensystems (old)
Location: Berlin-Adlershof
Institutes and Institutions:Institute of Planetary Research > Asteroids and Comets
Deposited By: Mottola, Dr.phys. Stefano
Deposited On:17 Nov 2011 13:00
Last Modified:08 Mar 2018 18:47

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