Comparative mapping of Pluto's sub-Charon hemisphere - Three least squares
models based on mutual event lightcurves

by: Young, E. F.; Binzel, R. P.

ABSTRACT

Observations of Charon transits are used here to derive preliminary maps
of Pluto's sub-Charon hemisphere. Three models are used to describe the
brightness of Pluto's surface as functions of latitude and longitude. Map-
ping results are presented using spherical harmonic functions, polynomial
functions, and finite elements. A smoothing algorithm applied to the maps
is described and the validity and resolution of the maps is tested by re-
construction from synthetic data. A preliminary finding from the maps is
that the south polar region has the highest albedo of any location on the
planet.

Icarus vol. 102, no. 1 p. 134-149. March 1993