Abstract The detection of CH4 frost on Pluto's surface implies a significant atmosphere for Pluto. Although Pluto's mass is small, about 7% of Triton's mass, the rapid escape (“blowoff”) of gaseous CH4 can be prevented by the presence of a heavy gas mixed with the CH4. The resulting slow escape (“Jeans escape”) of CH4 can be accomodated by sublimation of the surface CH4 frost so that an atmosphere exists in the steady state. A heavier gas must exist, otherwise the CH4 frost would have sublimated away long ago because of solar heat and rapid blowoff of gaseous CH4. Pluto is currently near perihelion where the CH4 component of the atmosphere may be 500 times denser than at apehelion. Significant seasonal changes in the atmospheric bulk are therefore possible. Currently, the CH4 column abundance on Pluto's sunlit hemisphere is on the order of 1 m-Amagat. The abundance of the heavier gas should be at least an order of magnitude greater but is uncertain.
Pluto's atmospheric bulk near perihelion
Advances in Space Research ; 1 , 9 ; 93-97
1981-01-01
5 pages
Aufsatz (Zeitschrift)
Elektronische Ressource
Englisch
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