Pluto’s surface is surprisingly young and geologically active. One of its youngest terrains is the near-equatorial region informally named Sputnik Planum, which is a topographic basin filled by nitrogen (N2) ice mixed with minor amounts of CH4 and CO ices. Nearly the entire surface of the region is divided into irregular polygons about 20–30 kilometres in diameter, whose centres rise tens of metres above...
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Convection in a volatile nitrogen-ice-rich layer drives Pluto’s geological vigour
The vast, deep, volatile-ice-filled basin informally named Sputnik Planum is central to Pluto’s vigorous geological activity. Composed of molecular nitrogen, methane, and carbon monoxide ices, but dominated by nitrogen ice, this layer is organized into cells or polygons, typically about 10 to 40 kilometres across, that resemble the surface manifestation of solid-state convection. Here we report, on the basis of available rheological measurements, that...
Vigorous convection as the explanation for Pluto’s polygonal terrain
Pluto’s surface is surprisingly young and geologically active. One of its youngest terrains is the near-equatorial region informally named Sputnik Planum, which is a topographic basin filled by nitrogen (N2) ice mixed with minor amounts of CH4 and CO ices. Nearly the entire surface of the region is divided into irregular polygons about 20–30 kilometres in diameter, whose centres rise tens of metres above...
Planetary science: Pluto’s polygons explained
The Sputnik Planum basin of Pluto contains a sheet of nitrogen ice, the surface of which is divided into irregular polygons tens of kilometres across. Two studies reveal that vigorous convection causes these polygons. See Letters p.79 & 82
Nature 534 40 doi: 10.1038/534040a
What’s new from New Horizons: Clean water ice on Pluto’s far-out moon, Hydra
Why methane snow covers Pluto’s peaks
Pluto’s polar canyons get their close-up
Scientists dissect Pluto’s heart, for geology’s sake
Just in time for Valentine’s Day, the scientists behind NASA’s New Horizons mission are sharing a map that brings a different perspective to Pluto’s heart. The map shows clearly that the dwarf planet’s bright heart-shaped region, informally known as Tombaugh Regio, can be broken into two geologically...
NASA’s New Horizons mission colorizes Pluto’s close-up – and zooms in on its pits
The Pluto pictures from NASA’s New Horizons probe just keep getting better and better: Feast your eyes on this colorized view of the border...