Abstract

We simulate potential models of the surface of the Uranian inner moon Puck using intimate and linear mixtures of crystalline water ice, amorphous water ice, and carbonaceous dust. Hapke modeling using the Python package emcee was used for a more statistically robust fit. The weighted average carbon dust percentage is 89.347+13.6-13.8% for the linear mixes and 81.8+13.4-14.0% for the intimate mixes. The weighted average crystalline ice percentage is 4.6+1.0-0.8% for the linear mixes and 9.1+7.4-6.3% for the intimate mixes. The weighted average amorphous ice percentage is 6.0+0.8-0.8% for the linear mixes and 9.13+7.4-6.3% for the intimate mixes. These numbers are reasonable in the context of the spectral features of Puck. We cannot say much conclusively about the grain size of the dust and ice on Puck, but we found tentative evidence that the grain size on Puck is likely around 100 $\mu$m in size, lending credence to the prevailing theory that the dust on Puck is finely grained and matching that of the dust from the $\mu$-ring of Uranus.

Advisor

DeGroot, Laura

Department

Physics

Disciplines

The Sun and the Solar System

Keywords

Uranus, Puck (Uranus), spectroscopy, emcee (Python)

Publication Date

2025

Degree Granted

Bachelor of Arts

Document Type

Senior Independent Study Thesis

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Available for download on Tuesday, July 16, 2030

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© Copyright 2025 Aeralyn Rose Flynn