Methane and Nitrogen Abundances On Pluto and Eris

TL;DR

This study analyzes spectra of Pluto and Eris to determine their methane and nitrogen ice compositions, finding Eris's volatile makeup similar to Pluto's and dominated by nitrogen ice, with implications for surface composition models.

Contribution

It provides the first detailed comparison of methane and nitrogen abundances on Eris and Pluto using spectral analysis and laboratory ice mixture spectra.

Findings

Eris has about 10% methane and 90% nitrogen.

Pluto has about 3% methane and 97% nitrogen.

Eris's surface composition appears to be nitrogen-dominated.

Abstract

We present spectra of Eris from the MMT 6.5 meter telescope and Red Channel Spectrograph (5700-9800 angstroms; 5 angstroms per pix) on Mt. Hopkins, AZ, and of Pluto from the Steward Observatory 2.3 meter telescope and Boller and Chivens spectrograph (7100-9400 angstroms; 2 angstroms per pix) on Kitt Peak, AZ. In addition, we present laboratory transmission spectra of methane-nitrogen and methane-argon ice mixtures. By anchoring our analysis in methane and nitrogen solubilities in one another as expressed in the phase diagram of Prokhvatilov and Yantsevich (1983), and comparing methane bands in our Eris and Pluto spectra and methane bands in our laboratory spectra of methane and nitrogen ice mixtures, we find Eris' bulk methane and nitrogen abundances are about 10% and about 90%, and Pluto's bulk methane and nitrogen abundances are about 3% and about 97%. Such abundances for Pluto are consistent with values reported in the literature. It appears that the bulk volatile composition of Eris is similar to the bulk volatile composition of Pluto. Both objects appear to be dominated by nitrogen ice. Our analysis also suggests, unlike previous work reported in the literature, that the methane and nitrogen stoichiometry is constant with depth into the surface of Eris. Finally, we point out that our Eris spectrum is also consistent with a laboratory ice mixture consisting of 40% methane and 60% argon. Although we cannot rule out an argon rich surface, it seems more likely that nitrogen is the dominant species on Eris because the nitrogen ice 2.15 micron band is seen in spectra of Pluto and Triton.