Another, published by NASA pictures of the spacecraft New Horizons next to Pluto show that the characteristic “heart” on the surface of the dwarf planet is in fact covered by ice. That is solidified carbon monoxide. The surface area, named in honor of the discoverer of Pluto, Tombaugh region is relatively smooth, probably no older than 100 million years and are still being shaped her active geological processes.
“Such a form of land can not be easily explained” – admits Jeff Moore, head of the Geology, Geophysics and Imaging Team (GGI). “The discovery of vast, devoid of craters, a relatively young surface exceeds what could be expected before the flight.”
Ice plane, informally called Sputnik Plain is covered with irregular-sized segments of approximately 20 kilometers, przedzielonymi ravines. Some of them are filled with dark material, with some grow ridge. Some of these segments are covered with cavities may be engendered by sublimation of ice.
Scientists have for the time being two theories about the origin of these segments. May have arisen as a result of shrinkage of the surface, in a similar way as in the case of the drying mud, can also be the work of convective processes occurring in the layer of ice under the influence of heat from the interior of Pluto. The darker stripes could appear in connection with wiejącymi there winds.
The observations made on July 14 with the help of Ralph instrument showed that the region Tombaugh, the “heart” is covered with solidified carbon monoxide, and its concentration in the middle is the highest and decreases outwards. Changes in the concentration indicated in the image below in green.
Grzegorz Jasinski
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