In the middle of the “heart” of Pluto ice fields lie. “It goes … – Gazeta.pl

Want to know sooner? Like us

– It is very difficult to explain the origin of this area. Snowdrops, devoid of craters, very young ice plains – it surpasses the expectations before the New Horizons mission – says Jeff Moore , who directs the mission team for the probe. Geology, geophysics and imaging, working in Ames Research Center in California.

“Plain Sputnik”

Located in the “heart of hearts” Pluto’s ice fields are informally called “plains Sputnik “- to commemorate the first artificial satellite of Earth. The very “heart”, a fragment of the planet’s surface confusingly similar to the pictures to the image of the human heart, the researchers dubbed – even informally – “Tombaugh Regio” of the planet’s discoverer, Clyde Tombaugh.

The plains are composed of irregular pieces of land, separated by a shallow, oblong basins. Some of these trenches are a little darker than the surrounding surface, and some are apparent from rising near the hills. In other places, the surface appears to crisscrossed with small holes that could arise in the process of sublimation – where ice transforms directly into gas – describes NASA.

Where did to ice fields?

Scientists are not only two hypotheses as to how these mold shaped. Their shape may be the result of “shrinkage”, “downloading” of the surface, as it happens when the mud dries on Earth. The second hypothesis says that may be the result of convection – “behaves like wax in the so-called. Lava lamp” – says NASA (lava lamp [ang. Lava lamps] contains immiscible with each liquid and the wax, which heat hot light bulb, form a variety of interesting shapes).

Pluto convection, which is caused by the temperature difference inside and closer to the surface of the planet, can occur in the outer layer consisting of carbon monoxide, methane and nitrogen under the influence – scientists think – low heat originating from inside Pluto.

on the surface of ice fields or black streaks was observed, most likely point in the same direction. The researchers speculate that behind their creation corresponds to the wind.

Visible in the video image center “heart” of Pluto was taken from a distance of 77 thousand. kilometers. It shows the landforms with a width of 1 kilometer. In the following months the probe is to send even clearer pictures of the surface of the planet.

The mission of New Horizons

New Poll Horizons is the first in the history of mankind flew close to Pluto – the dwarf planet until recently considered to be the ninth planet of the solar system. New Horizons mission is part of NASA’s “New Borders” (ang. New Frontiers), conducted by the Marshall Space Flight Center in Alabama.

The creators and operators probes are scientists from the Applied Physics Laboratory of Johns Hopkins University of Maryland . The first pictures sent by the probe caused a huge sensation – published among others Young mountain ranges on Pluto and powerful canyons on the moon – Charon.

Want to know more and faster? Download our application Gazeta.pl LIVE!