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Some solids can transition directly into the gaseous state, bypassing the liquid state, via a process known as sublimation. At room temperature and standard pressure, a piece of dry ice (solid CO2) sublimes, appearing to gradually disappear without ever forming any liquid. Snow and ice sublimate at temperatures below the melting point of water, a slow process that may be accelerated by winds and the reduced atmospheric pressures at high altitudes. When solid iodine is warmed, the solid sublimes...
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Sublimation-driven convection in Sputnik Planitia on Pluto.

Adrien Morison1, Stéphane Labrosse2, Gaël Choblet3

  • 1Physics and Astronomy, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK.

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|December 16, 2021
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Summary

Sublimation-driven convection explains Sputnik Planitia's polygonal surface patterns on Pluto. This process requires a lower basal heat flux or a higher viscosity contrast within the nitrogen ice layer.

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Area of Science:

  • Planetary Science
  • Geophysics
  • Surface Processes

Background:

  • Sputnik Planitia on Pluto features unique polygonal surface patterns.
  • Previous models involving solid-state convection failed to replicate the observed topography of flat polygons and narrow troughs.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the role of surface sublimation in driving convection within Sputnik Planitia's nitrogen ice basin.
  • To reconcile models of convection with the observed surface morphology.

Main Methods:

  • Numerical modeling of convection processes within Pluto's Sputnik Planitia.
  • Analysis of the effects of varying basal heat flux and ice viscosity contrast on surface patterns.

Main Results:

  • Sublimation-driven convection successfully reproduces the observed polygonal structures.
  • The model indicates a lower basal heat flux (~0.3 mW m⁻²) than previously accepted values.
  • Alternatively, the commonly accepted heat flux (2-3 mW m⁻²) can sustain these patterns with a significantly higher viscosity contrast (~3,000).

Conclusions:

  • Surface sublimation is a key mechanism driving convection and shaping the surface of Sputnik Planitia.
  • The findings suggest a revised understanding of heat flux and material properties within Pluto's nitrogen ice.