Reflectance Spectra of Titan Tholins at Cryogenic Temperatures and Implications for Compositional Interpretation of Red Objects in the Outer Solar System

Abstract

We report the visual and near-infrared (0.4-2.5 micron) laboratory bi-directional reflectance of Titan tholin at cryogenic temperatures (approx. 100-300 K). When compared with room temperature measurements, the visual and near-infrared color of Titan tholin becomes slightly redder by approx. 5% at low temperatures in the 0.4-1.3 micron region. We estimate the influence of these colr changes on the interpretation of the Centaur Pholus and find that the modest color changes will not significantly alter existing interpretations