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Dunes on Pluto.
Telfer, Matt W; Parteli, Eric J R; Radebaugh, Jani; Beyer, Ross A; Bertrand, Tanguy; Forget, François; Nimmo, Francis; Grundy, Will M; Moore, Jeffrey M; Stern, S Alan; Spencer, John; Lauer, Tod R; Earle, Alissa M; Binzel, Richard P; Weaver, Hal A; Olkin, Cathy B; Young, Leslie A; Ennico, Kimberly; Runyon, Kirby; Buie, Marc; Buratti, Bonnie; Cheng, Andy; Kavelaars, J J; Linscott, Ivan; McKinnon, William B; Reitsema, Harold; Reuter, Dennis; Schenk, Paul; Showalter, Mark; Tyler, Len.
Affiliation
  • Telfer MW; School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences, Plymouth University, Drake Circus, Plymouth, Devon PL4 8AA, UK. matt.telfer@plymouth.ac.uk.
  • Parteli EJR; Department of Geosciences, University of Cologne, Pohligstraße 3, 50969 Cologne, Germany.
  • Radebaugh J; Department of Geological Sciences, College of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602, USA.
  • Beyer RA; Sagan Center at the SETI Institute, Mountain View, CA 94043, USA.
  • Bertrand T; NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA 94035, USA.
  • Forget F; Laboratoire de Météorologie Dynamique, Université Pierre et Marie Curie, Paris, France.
  • Nimmo F; Laboratoire de Météorologie Dynamique, Université Pierre et Marie Curie, Paris, France.
  • Grundy WM; University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, USA.
  • Moore JM; Lowell Observatory, Flagstaff, AZ, USA.
  • Stern SA; NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA 94035, USA.
  • Spencer J; Southwest Research Institute, Boulder, CO, USA.
  • Lauer TR; Southwest Research Institute, Boulder, CO, USA.
  • Earle AM; National Optical Astronomy Observatory, Tucson, AZ 85726, USA.
  • Binzel RP; Department of Earth, Atmosphere, and Planetary Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.
  • Weaver HA; Department of Earth, Atmosphere, and Planetary Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.
  • Olkin CB; Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, MD, USA.
  • Young LA; Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, MD, USA.
  • Ennico K; Southwest Research Institute, Boulder, CO, USA.
  • Runyon K; NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA 94035, USA.
Science ; 360(6392): 992-997, 2018 06 01.
Article in En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-29853681
ABSTRACT
The surface of Pluto is more geologically diverse and dynamic than had been expected, but the role of its tenuous atmosphere in shaping the landscape remains unclear. We describe observations from the New Horizons spacecraft of regularly spaced, linear ridges whose morphology, distribution, and orientation are consistent with being transverse dunes. These are located close to mountainous regions and are orthogonal to nearby wind streaks. We demonstrate that the wavelength of the dunes (~0.4 to 1 kilometer) is best explained by the deposition of sand-sized (~200 to ~300 micrometer) particles of methane ice in moderate winds (<10 meters per second). The undisturbed morphology of the dunes, and relationships with the underlying convective glacial ice, imply that the dunes have formed in the very recent geological past.
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Full text: 1 Collection: 01-internacional Database: MEDLINE Language: En Journal: Science Year: 2018 Document type: Article Affiliation country: Reino Unido
Fulltext
Add to My VHL
Print
XML
PubMed Links
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Full text: 1 Collection: 01-internacional Database: MEDLINE Language: En Journal: Science Year: 2018 Document type: Article Affiliation country: Reino Unido