Water Ice on Kuiper Belt Object 1996 TO[TINF]66[/TINF]

Abstract

The 1.40-2.45 μm spectrum of Kuiper Belt object 1996 TO₆₆ was measured at the Keck Observatory in 1998 September. Its spectrum shows the strong absorptions near 1.5 and 2.0 μm that are characteristic of water ice—the first such detection on a Kuiper Belt object. The depth of the absorption bands and the continuum reflectance of 1996 TO₆₆ suggest the presence of a black- to slightly blue-colored, spectrally featureless particulate material as a minority component mixed with the water ice. In addition, there is evidence that the intensity of the water bands in the spectrum of 1996 TO₆₆ varies with rotational phase, suggesting a "patchy" surface.