Both Pluto and Triton possess thin, N_2_-dominated atmospheres controlled by sublimation of surface ices. We aim to constrain the influx and ablation of interplanetary dust grains into the atmospheres of both Pluto and Triton in order to estimate the rate at which oxygen-bearing species are introduced into both atmospheres. We use (i) an interplanetary dust dynamics model to calculate the flux and velocity distributions of interplanetary dust grains relevant for both Pluto and Triton and (ii) a model for the ablation of interplanetary dust grains in the atmospheres of both Pluto and Triton. We sum the individual ablation profiles over the incoming mass and velocity distributions of interplanetary dust grains in order to determine the vertical structure and net deposition of water to both atmospheres. Our results show that <2% of silicate grains ablate at either Pluto or Triton while approximately 75% and >99% of water ice grains ablate at Pluto and Triton, respectively. From ice grains, we calculate net water influxes to Pluto and Triton of ~3.8kg/d (8.5x10^3^H_2_O/cm^2^/s) and ~370kg/d (6.2x10^5^H_2_O/cm^2^/s), respectively. The significant difference in total water deposition between Pluto and Triton is due to the presence of Triton within Neptune's gravity well, which both enhances interplanetary dust particle (IDP) fluxes due to gravitational focusing and accelerates grains before entry into Triton's atmosphere, thereby causing more efficient ablation. We conclude that water deposition from dust ablation plays only a minor role at Pluto due to its relatively low flux. At Triton, water deposition from IDPs is more significant and may play a role in the alteration of atmospheric and ionospheric chemistry. We also suggest that meteoric smoke and smaller, unablated grains may serve as condensation nuclei for the formation of hazes at both worlds.
We use NEOWISE data from the four-band and three-band cryogenic phases of the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer mission to constrain size distributions of the comet populations and debias measurements of the short- and long-period comet (LPC) populations. We find that the fit to the debiased LPC population yields a cumulative size-frequency distribution (SFD) power-law slope ({beta}) of -1.0+/-0.1, while the debiased Jupiter-family comet (JFC) SFD has a steeper slope with {beta}=-2.3+/-0.2. The JFCs in our debiased sample yielded a mean nucleus size of 1.3km in diameter, while the LPCs' mean size is roughly twice as large, 2.1km, yielding mean size ratios (<D_LPC_>/<D_JFC_>) that differ by a factor of 1.6. Over the course of the 8 months of the survey, our results indicate that the number of LPCs passing within 1.5 au are a factor of several higher than previous estimates, while JFCs are within the previous range of estimates of a few thousand down to sizes near 1.3km in diameter. Finally, we also observe evidence for structure in the orbital distribution of LPCs, with an overdensity of comets clustered near 110{deg} inclination and perihelion near 2.9 au that is not attributable to observational bias.
W1J00. We present the result of observations made with the Six-inch Transit Circle in Washington, D.C., between September 1977 and July 1982. The catalog, called W1J00, contains mean positions of 7267 stars, all but five are north of -30 degrees declination, and 4383 observations of solar system objects. Positions of stars are for mean epoch of observation, on equator and equinox J2000.0. Positions of solar system objects are apparent places. Error estimates are about 100mas per coordinate for the majority of stars. W2J00. We present the result of observations made with the Six-inch Transit Circle in Washington, D.C. and the Seven-inch Transit Circle at the Black Birch station near Blenheim, New Zealand between April 1985 and February 1996. The catalog, called W2J00, contains mean positions of 44,395 globally distributed stars, 5048 observations of the planets, and 6518 observations of the brighter minor planets. Positions of stars are for mean epoch of observation, on equator and equinox J2000.0. Positions of solar system objects are apparent places. Error estimates are about 75mas per coordinate for the majority of stars.
