Surface Compositions Across Pluto and Charon
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Planetary Geologic Mappers Annual Meeting
Program Lunar and Planetary Institute 3600 Bay Area Boulevard Houston TX 77058-1113 Planetary Geologic Mappers Annual Meeting June 12–14, 2018 • Knoxville, Tennessee Institutional Support Lunar and Planetary Institute Universities Space Research Association Convener Devon Burr Earth and Planetary Sciences Department, University of Tennessee Knoxville Science Organizing Committee David Williams, Chair Arizona State University Devon Burr Earth and Planetary Sciences Department, University of Tennessee Knoxville Robert Jacobsen Earth and Planetary Sciences Department, University of Tennessee Knoxville Bradley Thomson Earth and Planetary Sciences Department, University of Tennessee Knoxville Abstracts for this meeting are available via the meeting website at https://www.hou.usra.edu/meetings/pgm2018/ Abstracts can be cited as Author A. B. and Author C. D. (2018) Title of abstract. In Planetary Geologic Mappers Annual Meeting, Abstract #XXXX. LPI Contribution No. 2066, Lunar and Planetary Institute, Houston. Guide to Sessions Tuesday, June 12, 2018 9:00 a.m. Strong Hall Meeting Room Introduction and Mercury and Venus Maps 1:00 p.m. Strong Hall Meeting Room Mars Maps 5:30 p.m. Strong Hall Poster Area Poster Session: 2018 Planetary Geologic Mappers Meeting Wednesday, June 13, 2018 8:30 a.m. Strong Hall Meeting Room GIS and Planetary Mapping Techniques and Lunar Maps 1:15 p.m. Strong Hall Meeting Room Asteroid, Dwarf Planet, and Outer Planet Satellite Maps Thursday, June 14, 2018 8:30 a.m. Strong Hall Optional Field Trip to Appalachian Mountains Program Tuesday, June 12, 2018 INTRODUCTION AND MERCURY AND VENUS MAPS 9:00 a.m. Strong Hall Meeting Room Chairs: David Williams Devon Burr 9:00 a.m. -
Tectonics of Charon Ross A. Beyer1,2, Francis Nimmo3, William B. Mckinnon4, Jeffrey Moore2, Paul Schenk5, Kelsi Singer6, John R
47th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference (2016) 2714.pdf Tectonics of Charon Ross A. Beyer1;2, Francis Nimmo3, William B. McKinnon4, Jeffrey Moore2, Paul Schenk5, Kelsi Singer6, John R. Spencer6, Hal Weaver7, Leslie Young6, Kimberly Ennico2, Cathy Olkin6, Alan Stern6, and the New Horizons Science Team. 1Carl Sagan Center at the SETI Institute, 2NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA, USA ([email protected]), 3UCSC, 4WUStL, 5LPI, 6SwRI, 7JHU APL Charon, Pluto’s large companion, has a variety of (0.288 m s−2). Charon’s tectonic terrain is exception- terrains that exhibit tectonic features. The Pluto-facing ally rugged and and contains a network of fault-bounded hemisphere that New Horizons [1] observed at high res- troughs and scarps in the equatorial to middle latitudes. olution has two broad provinces: the relatively smooth This transitions northward and over the pole to the visi- plains of the informally named (as are all names in this ble limb into an irregular zone where the fault traces are abstract) Vulcan Planum to the south of the encounter neither so parallel nor so obvious, but which contains ir- hemisphere, and the zone north of Vulcan Planum. This regular depressions (one as deep as 10 km just outside of area is characterized by ridges, graben, and scarps, which Mordor Macula) and other large relief variations. are signs of extensional tectonism. The border between Chasmata: There are a number of chasmata that gen- these two provinces strikes diagonally across the en- erally parallel the strike of the northern margin of Vulcan counter hemisphere from as far south as −19◦ latitude ◦ Planum, and we will discuss the largest two here as they in the west to 25 in the east (Figure1). -
Pluto and Doubling"
Archived version from NCDOCKS Institutional Repository http://libres.uncg.edu/ir/asu/ Column -- "Pluto And Doubling" By: Craig Fischer Abstract Welcome to the first installment of “Monsters Eat Critics,” a monthly column I’ll be writing for TCJ.com. I hope that “Monsters Eat Critics” sounds like the title of a Z-grade science-fiction movie, because I plan to write about genre comics, including science-fiction comics, rather than the alt-, art- and mini-comics so ably covered by other TCJ critics. Let me make clear, though, that I’ll be saying little about contemporary superhero comics, because I’m bored by the ones I’ve read and have nothing to express about them beyond a shrug and an annoyance that hype like “The New 52” gets so much attention, even negative attention, on comics blogs. Even though future columns will discuss creators who simultaneously labored in and transcended the superhero genre—we’ll trot Kirby out for obligatory analysis, if only to rile Pat Ford—I don’t care about superheroes or the superhero-driven business of American mainstream comics. I’m looking for art in other genres, and I’ll begin with one of the most artistically accomplished genre comics of the last ten years, Naoki Urasawa’s Pluto (2003-2009). Specifically, my argument is that Urasawa builds Pluto on overlapping, complex systems of doubling, and in reading closely to uncover these systems, I’ll be giving away all of Pluto’s major plot points, so beware. We spoil to dissect here. Fischer, C. (2011). "Pluto And Doubling" The Comics Journal (TCJ), October 3, 2011. -
Chemical Composition of Pluto's Aerosols Analogues
EPSC Abstracts Vol. 13, EPSC-DPS2019-941-1, 2019 EPSC-DPS Joint Meeting 2019 c Author(s) 2019. CC Attribution 4.0 license. Chemical composition of Pluto’s aerosols analogues Lora Jovanovic (1), Thomas Gautier (1), Nathalie Carrasco (1), Véronique Vuitton (2), Cédric Wolters (2), François-Régis Orthous-Daunay (2), Ludovic Vettier (1), Laurène Flandinet (2) ([email protected]) (1) Laboratoire Atmosphères, Milieux, Observations Spatiales (LATMOS), Guyancourt, France (2) Institut de Planétologie et d’Astrophysique de Grenoble (IPAG), Grenoble, France Abstract Table 1: Types of Pluto’s aerosols analogues produced with the PAMPRE experiment. The discovery of haze in Pluto’s atmosphere on July 14th, 2015, has raised lots of questions. To help Corresponding understand the data provided by the New Horizons Composition of the gas mixture altitude on spacecraft, Pluto’s aerosols analogues were Pluto [2] synthetized and their chemical composition was 99% N2 : 1% CH4 : 500 ppm CO 400 km determined by high-resolution mass spectrometry 95% N2 : 5% CH4 : 500 ppm CO 600 km (Orbitrap technique). 2.2. High-resolution mass spectrometry 1. Introduction (HRMS) study On July 14th, 2015, when Pluto was flown by the New Horizons spacecraft, aerosols were detected in its We analyzed the soluble fraction of Pluto’s aerosols atmosphere, mainly composed of molecular nitrogen analogues, dissolved in a 50:50 (v/v)% methanol:acetonitrile mixture. The analytical N2, methane CH4, with around 500 ppm of carbon monoxide CO [1,2,3]. These aerosols aggregate into instrument used was the LTQ Orbitrap XL several thin haze layers that extend at more than (ThermoFisher Scientific). -
+ New Horizons
Media Contacts NASA Headquarters Policy/Program Management Dwayne Brown New Horizons Nuclear Safety (202) 358-1726 [email protected] The Johns Hopkins University Mission Management Applied Physics Laboratory Spacecraft Operations Michael Buckley (240) 228-7536 or (443) 778-7536 [email protected] Southwest Research Institute Principal Investigator Institution Maria Martinez (210) 522-3305 [email protected] NASA Kennedy Space Center Launch Operations George Diller (321) 867-2468 [email protected] Lockheed Martin Space Systems Launch Vehicle Julie Andrews (321) 853-1567 [email protected] International Launch Services Launch Vehicle Fran Slimmer (571) 633-7462 [email protected] NEW HORIZONS Table of Contents Media Services Information ................................................................................................ 2 Quick Facts .............................................................................................................................. 3 Pluto at a Glance ...................................................................................................................... 5 Why Pluto and the Kuiper Belt? The Science of New Horizons ............................... 7 NASA’s New Frontiers Program ........................................................................................14 The Spacecraft ........................................................................................................................15 Science Payload ...............................................................................................................16 -
1 the Atmosphere of Pluto As Observed by New Horizons G
The Atmosphere of Pluto as Observed by New Horizons G. Randall Gladstone,1,2* S. Alan Stern,3 Kimberly Ennico,4 Catherine B. Olkin,3 Harold A. Weaver,5 Leslie A. Young,3 Michael E. Summers,6 Darrell F. Strobel,7 David P. Hinson,8 Joshua A. Kammer,3 Alex H. Parker,3 Andrew J. Steffl,3 Ivan R. Linscott,9 Joel Wm. Parker,3 Andrew F. Cheng,5 David C. Slater,1† Maarten H. Versteeg,1 Thomas K. Greathouse,1 Kurt D. Retherford,1,2 Henry Throop,7 Nathaniel J. Cunningham,10 William W. Woods,9 Kelsi N. Singer,3 Constantine C. C. Tsang,3 Rebecca Schindhelm,3 Carey M. Lisse,5 Michael L. Wong,11 Yuk L. Yung,11 Xun Zhu,5 Werner Curdt,12 Panayotis Lavvas,13 Eliot F. Young,3 G. Leonard Tyler,9 and the New Horizons Science Team 1Southwest Research Institute, San Antonio, TX 78238, USA 2University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78249, USA 3Southwest Research Institute, Boulder, CO 80302, USA 4National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Ames Research Center, Space Science Division, Moffett Field, CA 94035, USA 5The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, MD 20723, USA 6George Mason University, Fairfax, VA 22030, USA 7The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA 8Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence Institute, Mountain View, CA 94043, USA 9Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA 10Nebraska Wesleyan University, Lincoln, NE 68504 11California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA 12Max-Planck-Institut für Sonnensystemforschung, 37191 Katlenburg-Lindau, Germany 13Groupe de Spectroscopie Moléculaire et Atmosphérique, Université Reims Champagne-Ardenne, 51687 Reims, France *To whom correspondence should be addressed. -
Lunar & Planetary Surface Power Management & Distribution
NASA SBIR 2020 Phase I Solicitation Z1.05 Lunar & Planetary Surface Power Management & Distribution Lead Center: GRC Participating Center(s): GSFC, JSC Technology Area: TA3 Space Power and Energy Storage Scope Title Innovative ways to transmit high power for lunar & Mars surface missions Scope Description The Global Exploration Roadmap (January 2018) and the Space Policy Directive (December 2017) detail NASA’s plans for future human-rated space missions. A major factor in this involves establishing bases on the lunar surface and eventually Mars. Surface power for bases is envisioned to be located remotely from the habitat modules and must be efficiently transferred over significant distances. The International Space Station (ISS) has the highest power (100kW), and largest space power distribution system with eight interleaved micro-grids providing power functions similar to a terrestrial power utility. Planetary bases will be similar to the ISS with expectations of multiple power sources, storage, science, and habitation modules, but at higher power levels and with longer distribution networks providing interconnection. In order to enable high power (>100kW) and longer distribution systems on the surface of the moon or Mars, NASA is in need of innovative technologies in the areas of lower mass/higher efficiency power electronic regulators, switchgear, cabling, connectors, wireless sensors, power beaming, power scavenging, and power management control. The technologies of interest would need to operate in extreme temperature environments, including lunar night, and could experience temperature changes from -153C to 123C for lunar applications, and -125C to 80C for Mars bases. In addition to temperature extremes, technologies would need to withstand (have minimal degradation from) lunar dust/regolith, Mars dust storms, and space radiation levels. -
What Is the Color of Pluto? - Universe Today
What is the Color of Pluto? - Universe Today space and astronomy news Universe Today Home Members Guide to Space Carnival Photos Videos Forum Contact Privacy Login NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft captured this high-resolution enhanced color view of http://www.universetoday.com/13866/color-of-pluto/[29-Mar-17 13:18:37] What is the Color of Pluto? - Universe Today Pluto on July 14, 2015. Credit: NASA/JHUAPL/SwRI WHAT IS THE COLOR OF PLUTO? Article Updated: 28 Mar , 2017 by Matt Williams When Pluto was first discovered by Clybe Tombaugh in 1930, astronomers believed that they had found the ninth and outermost planet of the Solar System. In the decades that followed, what little we were able to learn about this distant world was the product of surveys conducted using Earth-based telescopes. Throughout this period, astronomers believed that Pluto was a dirty brown color. In recent years, thanks to improved observations and the New Horizons mission, we have finally managed to obtain a clear picture of what Pluto looks like. In addition to information about its surface features, composition and tenuous atmosphere, much has been learned about Pluto’s appearance. Because of this, we now know that the one-time “ninth planet” of the Solar System is rich and varied in color. Composition: With a mean density of 1.87 g/cm3, Pluto’s composition is differentiated between an icy mantle and a rocky core. The surface is composed of more than 98% nitrogen ice, with traces of methane and carbon monoxide. Scientists also suspect that Pluto’s internal structure is differentiated, with the rocky material having settled into a dense core surrounded by a mantle of water ice. -
Jjmonl 1710.Pmd
alactic Observer John J. McCarthy Observatory G Volume 10, No. 10 October 2017 The Last Waltz Cassini’s final mission and dance of death with Saturn more on page 4 and 20 The John J. McCarthy Observatory Galactic Observer New Milford High School Editorial Committee 388 Danbury Road Managing Editor New Milford, CT 06776 Bill Cloutier Phone/Voice: (860) 210-4117 Production & Design Phone/Fax: (860) 354-1595 www.mccarthyobservatory.org Allan Ostergren Website Development JJMO Staff Marc Polansky Technical Support It is through their efforts that the McCarthy Observatory Bob Lambert has established itself as a significant educational and recreational resource within the western Connecticut Dr. Parker Moreland community. Steve Barone Jim Johnstone Colin Campbell Carly KleinStern Dennis Cartolano Bob Lambert Route Mike Chiarella Roger Moore Jeff Chodak Parker Moreland, PhD Bill Cloutier Allan Ostergren Doug Delisle Marc Polansky Cecilia Detrich Joe Privitera Dirk Feather Monty Robson Randy Fender Don Ross Louise Gagnon Gene Schilling John Gebauer Katie Shusdock Elaine Green Paul Woodell Tina Hartzell Amy Ziffer In This Issue INTERNATIONAL OBSERVE THE MOON NIGHT ...................... 4 SOLAR ACTIVITY ........................................................... 19 MONTE APENNINES AND APOLLO 15 .................................. 5 COMMONLY USED TERMS ............................................... 19 FAREWELL TO RING WORLD ............................................ 5 FRONT PAGE ............................................................... -
Charon Tectonics
Icarus 287 (2017) 161–174 Contents lists available at ScienceDirect Icarus journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/icarus Charon tectonics ∗ Ross A. Beyer a,b, , Francis Nimmo c, William B. McKinnon d, Jeffrey M. Moore b, Richard P. Binzel e, Jack W. Conrad c, Andy Cheng f, K. Ennico b, Tod R. Lauer g, C.B. Olkin h, Stuart Robbins h, Paul Schenk i, Kelsi Singer h, John R. Spencer h, S. Alan Stern h, H.A. Weaver f, L.A. Young h, Amanda M. Zangari h a Sagan Center at the SETI Institute, 189 Berndardo Ave, Mountain View, California 94043, USA b NASA Ames Research Center, Moffet Field, CA 94035-0 0 01, USA c University of California, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA d Washington University in St. Louis, St Louis, MO 63130-4899, USA e Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA f Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, MD 20723, USA g National Optical Astronomy Observatories, Tucson, AZ 85719, USA h Southwest Research Institute, Boulder, CO 80302, USA i Lunar and Planetary Institute, Houston, TX 77058, USA a r t i c l e i n f o a b s t r a c t Article history: New Horizons images of Pluto’s companion Charon show a variety of terrains that display extensional Received 14 April 2016 tectonic features, with relief surprising for this relatively small world. These features suggest a global ex- Revised 8 December 2016 tensional areal strain of order 1% early in Charon’s history. Such extension is consistent with the presence Accepted 12 December 2016 of an ancient global ocean, now frozen. -
Results from the New Horizons Encounter with Pluto
EPSC Abstracts Vol. 11, EPSC2017-140, 2017 European Planetary Science Congress 2017 EEuropeaPn PlanetarSy Science CCongress c Author(s) 2017 Results from the New Horizons encounter with Pluto C. B. Olkin (1), S. A. Stern (1), J. R. Spencer (1), H. A. Weaver (2), L. A. Young (1), K. Ennico (3) and the New Horizons Team (1) Southwest Research Institute, Colorado, USA, (2) Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, Maryland, USA (3) NASA Ames Research Center, California, USA ([email protected]) Abstract Hydra) and the various processes that would darken those surfaces over time [5]. In July 2015, the New Horizons spacecraft flew through the Pluto system providing high spatial resolution panchromatic and color visible light imaging, near-infrared composition mapping spectroscopy, UV airglow measurements, UV solar and radio uplink occultations for atmospheric sounding, and in situ plasma and dust measurements that have transformed our understanding of Pluto and its moons [1]. Results from the science investigations focusing on geology, surface composition and atmospheric studies of Pluto and its largest satellite Charon will be presented. We also describe the New Horizons extended mission. 1. Geology and Size Highlights from the geology investigation of Pluto Figure 1: The glacial ices of Sputnik Planitia. The include the discovery of a unexpected diversity of cellular pattern is a surface expression of mobile lid geomorpholgies across the surface, the discovery of a convection. The boundaries of the cells are troughs. deep basin (informally known as Sputnik Planitia) Despite it’s size of ~900,000 km2, there are no containing glacial ices undergoing mobile-lid identified craters across Sputnik Planitia. -
1 on the Origin of the Pluto System Robin M. Canup Southwest Research Institute Kaitlin M. Kratter University of Arizona Marc Ne
On the Origin of the Pluto System Robin M. Canup Southwest Research Institute Kaitlin M. Kratter University of Arizona Marc Neveu NASA Goddard Space Flight Center / University of Maryland The goal of this chapter is to review hypotheses for the origin of the Pluto system in light of observational constraints that have been considerably refined over the 85-year interval between the discovery of Pluto and its exploration by spacecraft. We focus on the giant impact hypothesis currently understood as the likeliest origin for the Pluto-Charon binary, and devote particular attention to new models of planet formation and migration in the outer Solar System. We discuss the origins conundrum posed by the system’s four small moons. We also elaborate on implications of these scenarios for the dynamical environment of the early transneptunian disk, the likelihood of finding a Pluto collisional family, and the origin of other binary systems in the Kuiper belt. Finally, we highlight outstanding open issues regarding the origin of the Pluto system and suggest areas of future progress. 1. INTRODUCTION For six decades following its discovery, Pluto was the only known Sun-orbiting world in the dynamical vicinity of Neptune. An early origin concept postulated that Neptune originally had two large moons – Pluto and Neptune’s current moon, Triton – and that a dynamical event had both reversed the sense of Triton’s orbit relative to Neptune’s rotation and ejected Pluto onto its current heliocentric orbit (Lyttleton, 1936). This scenario remained in contention following the discovery of Charon, as it was then established that Pluto’s mass was similar to that of a large giant planet moon (Christy and Harrington, 1978).