Mineralogy of the Occator quadrangle
A. Longobardo, E. Palomba, F.G. Carrozzo, [...] E. Ammannito ; et al.
Sep - 2017
DOI: 10.1016/j.icarus.2017.09.022

journal : Icarus
type: Article Journal

Abstract
We present an analysis of the areal distribution of spectral parameters derived from the VIR imaging spectrometer on board NASA/Dawn spacecraft. Specifically we studied the Occator quadrangle of Ceres, which is bounded by latitudes 22°S to 22°N and longitudes 214°E to 288°E, as part of the overall study of Ceres’ surface composition reported in this special publication. The spectral parameters used are the photometrically corrected reflectance at 1.2 µm, the infrared spectral slope (1.1–1.9 µm), and depths of the absorption bands at 2.7 µm and 3.1 µm that are ascribed to hydrated and ammoniated materials, respectively.We find an overall correlation between 2.7 µm and 3.1 µm band depths, in agreement with Ceres global behavior, and band depths are shallower and the spectral slope is flatter for younger craters, probably due to physical properties of regolith such as grain size. Spectral variations correlated with the tali geological unit also suggest differences in physical properties. The deepest band, indicating enrichment of ammoniated phyllosilicates, are associated with ejecta generated by impacts that occurred in southern quadrangles.The most peculiar region of this quadrangle is the Occator crater (20°N 240°E). The internal crater area contains two faculae, which are the brightest areas on Ceres due to exposure of sodium carbonates, and by two types of ejecta, dark and bright, with different spectral properties, probably due to different formation, evolution or age.