Year: 2015
Type: article
Abstract: The Pluto system was recently explored by NASA's New Horizons spacecraft, making closest approach on 14 July 2015. Pluto's surface displays diverse landforms, terrain ages, albedos, colors, and composition gradients. Evidence is found for a water-ice crust, geologically young surface units, surface ice convection, wind streaks, volatile transport, and glacial flow. Pluto's atmosphere is highly extended, with trace hydrocarbons, a global haze layer, and a surface pressure near 10 microbars. Pluto's diverse surface geology and long-term activity raise fundamental questions about how small planets remain active many billions of years after formation. Pluto's large moon Charon displays tectonics and evidence for a heterogeneous crustal composition; its north pole displays puzzling dark terrain. Small satellites Hydra and Nix have higher albedos than expected.
Source: Science
Authors: S. A. Stern, F. Bagenal, K. Ennico, G. R. Gladstone, W. M. Grundy, W. B. McKinnon, J. M. Moore, C. B. Olkin, J. R. Spencer, H. A. Weaver, L. A. Young, T. Andert, J. Andrews, M. Banks, B. Bauer, J. Bauman, O. S. Barnouin, P. Bedini, K. Beisser, R. A. Beyer, S. Bhaskaran, R. P. Binzel, E. Birath, M. Bird, D. J. Bogan, A. Bowman, V. J. Bray, M. Brozovic, C. Bryan, M. R. Buckley, M. W. Buie, B. J. Buratti, S. S. Bushman, A. Calloway, B. Carcich, A. F. Cheng, S. Conard, C. A. Conrad, J. C. Cook, D. P. Cruikshank, O. S. Custodio, C. M. Dalle Ore, C. Deboy, Z. J. B. Dischner, P. Dumont, A. M. Earle, H. A. Elliott, J. Ercol, C. M. Ernst, T. Finley, S. H. Flanigan, G. Fountain, M. J. Freeze, T. Greathouse, J. L. Green, Y. Guo, M. Hahn, D. P. Hamilton, S. A. Hamilton, J. Hanley, A. Harch, H. M. Hart, C. B. Hersman, A. Hill, M. E. Hill, D. P. Hinson, M. E. Holdridge, M. Horanyi, A. D. Howard, C. J. A. Howett, C. Jackman, R. A. Jacobson, D. E. Jennings, J. A. Kammer, H. K. Kang, D. E. Kaufmann, P. Kollmann, S. M. Krimigis, D. Kusnierkiewicz, T. R. Lauer, J. E. Lee, K. L. Lindstrom, I. R. Linscott, C. M. Lisse, A. W. Lunsford, V. A. Mallder, N. Martin, D. J. McComas, R. L. McNutt, D. Mehoke, T. Mehoke, E. D. Melin, M. Mutchler, D. Nelson, F. Nimmo, J. I. Nunez, A. Ocampo, W. M. Owen, M. Paetzold, B. Page, A. H. Parker, J. W. Parker, F. Pelletier, J. Peterson, N. Pinkine, M. Piquette, S. B. Porter, S. Protopapa, J. Redfern, H. J. Reitsema, D. C. Reuter, J. H. Roberts, S. J. Robbins, G. Rogers, D. Rose, K. Runyon, K. D. Retherford, M. G. Ryschkewitsch, P. Schenk, E. Schindhelm, B. Sepan, M. R. Showalter, K. N. Singer, M. Soluri, D. Stanbridge, A. J. Steffl, D. F. Strobel, T. Stryk, M. E. Summers, J. R. Szalay, M. Tapley, A. Taylor, H. Taylor, H. B. Throop, C. C. C. Tsang, G. L. Tyler, O. M. Umurhan, A. J. Verbiscer, M. H. Versteeg, M. Vincent, R. Webbert, S. Weidner, G. E. Weigle, O. L. White, K. Whittenburg, B. G. Williams, K. Williams, S. Williams, W. W. Woods, A. M. Zangari, E. Zirnstein
Institutions: Southwest Research Institute, University of Colorado Boulder, Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics, Ames Research Center, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Lowell Observatory, Washington University in St. Louis, Johns Hopkins University, Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, Universität der Bundeswehr München, Planetary Science Institute, Arizona State University, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, University of Bonn, University of Arizona, Cornell University, University of Cologne, Rhenish Institute for Environmental Research, University of Maryland, College Park, Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence, University of Virginia, Goddard Space Flight Center, Marshall Space Flight Center, Stanford University, Space Telescope Science Institute, University of California, Santa Cruz, Lunar and Planetary Institute, Roane State Community College, George Mason University
Language: English
Topic: Astro and Planetary Science
Subfield: Astronomy and Astrophysics
Field: Physics and Astronomy
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2137581380