Global Albedos of Pluto and Charon from LORRI New Horizons Observations
B. J. Buratti, J. D. Hofgartner, M. D. Hicks, H. A. Weaver, S. A., Stern, T. Momary, J. A. Mosher, R. A. Beyer, A. J. Verbiscer, A. M. Zangari,, L. A. Young, C. M. Lisse, K. Singer, A. Cheng, W. Grundy, K. Ennico, C. B., Olkin

TL;DR
This study uses New Horizons LORRI images to map the global albedo and photometric properties of Pluto and Charon, revealing surface variations, correlations with geologic features, and insights into their surface compositions and activity.
Contribution
First global albedo maps of Pluto and Charon derived from LORRI data, showing surface variegations and latitudinal patterns, and linking high albedo to planetary activity.
Findings
Pluto's albedo ranges from 0.08 to 1.0, with darker regions than Charon.
Charon's surface has a narrower albedo range of 0.20 to 0.73.
Preliminary Bond albedos are 0.25 for Charon and 0.72 for Pluto.
Abstract
The exploration of the Pluto-Charon system by the New Horizons spacecraft represents the first opportunity to understand the distribution of albedo and other photometric properties of the surfaces of objects in the Solar System's "Third Zone" of distant ice-rich bodies. Images of the entire illuminated surface of Pluto and Charon obtained by the Long Range Reconnaissance Imager (LORRI) camera provide a global map of Pluto that reveals surface albedo variegations larger than any other Solar System world except for Saturn's moon Iapetus. Normal reflectances on Pluto range from 0.08-1.0, and the low-albedo areas of Pluto are darker than any region of Charon. Charon exhibits a much blander surface with normal reflectances ranging from 0.20-0.73. Pluto's albedo features are well-correlated with geologic features, although some exogenous low-albedo dust may be responsible for features seen to…
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