Surface properties of Kuiper-belt Objects and Centaurs from photometry and polarimetry
Résumé
Physical properties of Kuiper belt objects (KBOs) can be assessed by studying their photometric and polarimetric phase effects close to opposition, i.e., the brightness opposition effect and the negative polarization branch. The first phase-curve observations and their promising preliminary interpretations are reviewed for KBOs and Centaurs. Despite the limited range of phase angles accessible from groundbased observations, distinct features have been discovered both in brightness and polarization. Recent results of relevant numerical and laboratory simulations of phase-angle effects are reviewed. The possibility of constraining the geometric albedos of the surfaces based on photometric and polarimetric observations is discussed.