IRTF Data Archive Program Information

# # Program information file # PROGRAM_ID 2021A010 PROGRAM_TITLE Investigating Temporal Changes on Pluto's Northern Hemisphere PROGRAM_INV1 Bryan Holler PROGRAM_INV2 Leslie Young PROGRAM_INV3 Will Grundy PROGRAM_INV4 Cathy Olkin PROGRAM_INV5 Silvia Protopapa PROGRAM_SCICAT solar system PROGRAM_ABSTRACT_BEG Pluto's surface is dynamic, with detectable changes occurring over the course of a single year. Pluto is currently moving toward northern hemisphere solstice in 2029 but is also moving further from the Sun. In this continuation of our Pluto SpeX time domain campaign, we propose to obtain additional 'matched pairs' of spectra at similar sub-observer latitudes and longitudes in order to evaluate temporal changes in CH4 [methane] abundance due to volatile transport. The proposed observations in the 2021A semester would be the first half of a matched pair with 2022B. PROGRAM_ABSTRACT_END