Scientists from the Southwest Research Institute in Boulder (USA) and colleagues conducted a detailed analysis of the structure and composition of Pluto's atmosphere. The corresponding research preprint is sent for publication in the Icarus journal and is available in the editorial office of Lenta.ru.
In the atmosphere of the dwarf planet, scientists have discovered five compounds (N2, CH4, C2H2, C2H4, and C2H6). Experts have come to four main conclusions about the structure and composition of Pluto's gas envelope.
First, the temperature of the upper atmosphere (at an altitude of 1710 kilometers) of the dwarf planet is 65-68 kelvin, which is lower than previously assumed by scientists. Second, the homopause of Pluto's gas shell is located at an altitude of about 12 kilometers from its surface.
Third, the compounds C2H2, C2H4, and C2H6 are not uniformly distributed in Pluto's atmosphere. Thus, experts announced the detection of local maximums of C2H4 concentrations at an altitude of 410 kilometers, C2H2 at an altitude of 320 kilometers and C2H6 at an altitude of 260 kilometers. For the same compounds, local concentration minima were found.
Fourth, the turbidity of Pluto's atmosphere associated with the extinction coefficient was approximately proportional to the nitrogen contained in the gas envelope.
The analysis carried out by experts is based on data obtained by the Alice scientific instrument of the New Horizons station, which flew on July 14, 2015 at a minimum distance from Pluto. The main objective of the mission is to study the dwarf planet and its satellite Charon. Earlier, scientists from the University of Porto and the University of Lisbon (Portugal) calculated the anomalous acceleration of the New Horizons station due to the thermal radiation of its fragments.
