NASA NTRS1980
New near-infrared (0.65-2.5 microns) reflectance spectra of the Galilean satellites are presented. These spectra more precisely define the water ice absorption features previously identified on Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto at 1.55 and 2.0 microns. In addition, previously unreported spectral features due to water ice are seen at 1.25, 1.06, 0.90, and 0.81 microns on Europa, and at 1.25, 1.04, and possibly 0.71 microns on Ganymede. Unreported absorption features in Callisto's spectrum occur at 1.2 microns, probably due to H2O, and a weak, broad band extending from 0.75 to 0.95 microns due possibly to other minerals. The spectrum of Io has only weak absorption features at 1.15 microns and between 0.8 and 1.0 microns. No water absorptions are positively identified in the Io spectra, indicating an upper limit of areal water frost coverage of 2% (leading and trailing sides). It is found for Callisto, Ganymede, and Europa that the water ice absorption features are due to free water and not to water bound or absorbed onto minerals. The areal coverage of water frost is approximately 100% on Europa (trailing side), approximately 65% on Ganymede (leading side), and 20-30% on Callisto (leading side). An upper limit of approximately 5% bound water (in addition to the 20-30% ice) may be present on Callisto, based on the strong 3-micron band seen by other investigators. A summary of spectra of the satellites from 0.325 to about 5 microns to aid in laboratory and interpretation studies is also presented.