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Evidence for Possible Clouds in Pluto's Present-day Atmosphere
被引:9
|作者:
Stern, S. A.
[1
]
Kammer, J. A.
[1
]
Barth, E. L.
[1
]
Singer, K. N.
[1
]
Lauer, T. R.
[2
]
Hofgartner, J. D.
[3
]
Weaver, H. A.
[4
]
Ennico, K.
[5
]
Olkin, C. B.
[1
]
Young, L. A.
[1
]
机构:
[1] Southwest Res Inst, Suite 300,1050 Walnut St, Boulder, CO 80302 USA
[2] Natl Opt Astron Observ, POB 26732, Tucson, AZ 85726 USA
[3] Jet Prop Lab, 4800 Oak Grove Dr,MS 183-40, Pasadena, CA 91109 USA
[4] Johns Hopkins Univ, Appl Phys Lab, Space Explorat Sect, 11100 Johns Hopkins Rd, Laurel, MD 20723 USA
[5] NASA, Ames Res Ctr, Div Space Sci, Mail Stop 245-6, Moffett Field, CA 94035 USA
来源:
ASTRONOMICAL JOURNAL
|
2017年
/
154卷
/
01期
关键词:
Kuiper belt: general;
planets and satellites: atmospheres;
AEROSOL FORMATION;
NUCLEATION;
PARTICLES;
METHANE;
IMAGER;
MODEL;
CO;
D O I:
10.3847/1538-3881/aa78ec
中图分类号:
P1 [天文学];
学科分类号:
0704 ;
摘要:
Several trace constituents can reach saturation vapor pressure in Pluto's present-day atmosphere (PDA). As such, we describe a search for discrete cloud features in Pluto's atmosphere using New Horizons data obtained on 2015 July 14-15, during the Pluto flyby closest approach. We report that the. PDA is at least largely (>99% by surface area) free of discrete clouds. We also report a handful of features that may plausibly be clouds, all of which were detected obliquely and at high-phase-angle observing geometry. No cloud candidates were identified away from the terminators or in low-phase (backscattering geometry) images.
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页数:9
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