KLD6
Keynote (OPS): JWST Observes the CO2-rich Surfaces of Uranus’ Large Moons
THU-OB1 |
Thu, 11 Sep, 08:55–09:20 (EEST) Room Jupiter (Hall A)
Thu, 08:55
Abstract
Our knowledge of the ice giant Uranus and its system of rings and moons is largely limited to
the analysis of data returned by Voyager 2 during its brief flyby in 1986. Since that time,
ground-based facilities and space telescopes have slowly progressed our understanding,
revealing that Uranus’ large moons are candidate ocean worlds with surfaces enriched in
carbon dioxide, especially Ariel. The future holds much more promise for dramatic
improvement in our understanding of the Uranus system with a conceived orbiter and probe
mission arriving around 2050 and future observations by NASA’s Habitable Worlds Observatory,
which will reveal the ultraviolet properties of the outer Solar System and beyond. In the here
and now, our community is unraveling the outer Solar System’s secrets in the near-infrared
with NASA’s current great space observatory, the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). I will
discuss the latest JWST/NIRSpec results for Uranus’ four largest moons, placing them in context
with existing ground-based data and Voyager 2 results, and set the stage for the next era of
Uranus system exploration in the decades to come.