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Equatorial mountains on Pluto are covered by methane frosts resulting from a unique atmospheric process

Author

Listed:
  • Tanguy Bertrand

    (Space Science Division
    Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Université Paris 06, CNRS, BP99)

  • François Forget

    (Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Université Paris 06, CNRS, BP99)

  • Bernard Schmitt

    (Université Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, Institut de Planétologie et d’Astrophysique de Grenoble)

  • Oliver L. White

    (Space Science Division
    The SETI Institute)

  • William M. Grundy

    (Lowell Observatory)

Abstract

Pluto is covered by numerous deposits of methane, either diluted in nitrogen or as methane-rich ice. Within the dark equatorial region of Cthulhu, bright frost containing methane is observed coating crater rims and walls as well as mountain tops, providing spectacular resemblance to terrestrial snow-capped mountain chains. However, the origin of these deposits remained enigmatic. Here we report that they are composed of methane-rich ice. We use high-resolution numerical simulations of Pluto’s climate to show that the processes forming them are likely to be completely different to those forming high-altitude snowpack on Earth. The methane deposits may not result from adiabatic cooling in upwardly moving air like on our planet, but from a circulation-induced enrichment of gaseous methane a few kilometres above Pluto’s plains that favours methane condensation at mountain summits. This process could have shaped other methane reservoirs on Pluto and help explain the appearance of the bladed terrain of Tartarus Dorsa.

Suggested Citation

  • Tanguy Bertrand & François Forget & Bernard Schmitt & Oliver L. White & William M. Grundy, 2020. "Equatorial mountains on Pluto are covered by methane frosts resulting from a unique atmospheric process," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 11(1), pages 1-7, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:11:y:2020:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-020-18845-3
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-18845-3
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    Cited by:

    1. Bingqing Cheng & Sebastien Hamel & Mandy Bethkenhagen, 2023. "Thermodynamics of diamond formation from hydrocarbon mixtures in planets," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-9, December.
    2. Kelsi N. Singer & Oliver L. White & Bernard Schmitt & Erika L. Rader & Silvia Protopapa & William M. Grundy & Dale P. Cruikshank & Tanguy Bertrand & Paul M. Schenk & William B. McKinnon & S. Alan Ster, 2022. "Large-scale cryovolcanic resurfacing on Pluto," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-9, December.

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