Color, composition, and thermal environment of Kuiper Belt object (486958) Arrokoth

• DOI: 10.1126/science.aay3705
• Publication Date: 2020-02-14T00:05:29Z
• Authors: W. M. Grundy; M. K. Bird; D. T. Britt; J. C. Cook; D. P. Cruikshank; C. J. A. Howett; S. Krijt; I. R. Linscott; C. B. Olkin; A. H. Parker; S. Protopapa; M. Ruaud; O. M. Umurhan; L. A. Young; C. M. Dalle Ore; J. J. Kavelaars; J. T. Keane; Y. J. Pendleton; S. B. Porter; F. Scipioni; J. R. Spencer; S. A. Stern; A. J. Verbiscer; H. A. Weaver; R. P. Binzel; M. W. Buie; B. J. Buratti; A. Cheng; A. M. Earle; H. A. Elliott; L. Gabasova; G. R. Gladstone; M. E. Hill; M. Horanyi; D. E. Jennings; A. W. Lunsford; D. J. McComas; W. B. McKinnon; R. L. McNutt; J. M. Moore; J. W. Parker; E. Quirico; D. C. Reuter; P. M. Schenk; B. Schmitt; M. R. Showalter; K. N. Singer; G. E. Weigle; A. M. Zangari
• Keywords: Earth and Planetary Astrophysics (astro-ph.EP); CH3OH; 550; [SDU.ASTR.EP]Sciences of the Universe [physics]/Astrophysics [astro-ph]/Earth and Planetary Astrophysics [astro-ph.EP]; 500; [SDU.ASTR.EP] Sciences of the Universe [physics]/Astrophysics [astro-ph]/Earth and Planetary Astrophysics [astro-ph.EP]; surface composition; FOS: Physical sciences; New Horizons spacecraft; 01 natural sciences; 520; 630; color; Kuiper belt; ices; 13. Climate action; Arrokoth; 0103 physical sciences; 2014 MU69; methanol; Astrophysics - Earth and Planetary Astrophysics

Examining Arrokoth

The New Horizons spacecraft flew past the Kuiper Belt object (486958) Arrokoth (also known as 2014 MU 69 ) in January 2019. Because of the great distance to the outer Solar System and limited bandwidth, it will take until late 2020 to downlink all the spacecraft's observations back to Earth. Three papers in this issue analyze recently downlinked data, including the highest-resolution images taken during the encounter (see the Perspective by Jewitt). Spencer et al. examined Arrokoth's geology and geophysics using stereo imaging, dated the surface using impact craters, and produced a geomorphological map. Grundy et al. investigated the composition of the surface using color imaging and spectroscopic data and assessed Arrokoth's thermal emission using microwave radiometry. McKinnon et al. used simulations to determine how Arrokoth formed: Two gravitationally bound objects gently spiraled together during the formation of the Solar System. Together, these papers determine the age, composition, and formation process of the most pristine object yet visited by a spacecraft.

Science , this issue p. eaay3999 , p. eaay3705 , p. eaay6620 ; see also p. 980