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22h ago

Study: Liquid Nitrogen Has Recently Reached Pluto’s Surface

Computer models paired with Earth glacier analogs indicate basal melting can push liquid nitrogen through conduits to wet Sputnik Planitia, raising questions about Pluto’s geology.

Credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/SwRI
Pluto’s northern Sputnik Planitia glacier (in the western or left side of Pluto’s brightheart) is shown here in a color mosaic made from NASA’s New Horizons imagery. The direction of north is shown on the image. The image is ~ 700 x 350 kilometers across. The red box has been added to show most of the region containing dark features attributed to the wetting of the glacier by liquid nitrogen sourced from a “basal melting” process beneath the glacier. NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/SwRI
NASA mission has new revelation about Pluto's mysterious heart-shaped glacier, Sputnik Planitia.
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Overview

  • The peer‑reviewed paper published Thursday reports dark streaks and patches on Sputnik Planitia that the authors interpret as recent surface wetting by liquid nitrogen.
  • Researchers reanalyzed 2015 New Horizons imagery and compared the patterns to Landsat 9 images of Greenland where meltwater darkens glacier ice.
  • Simulations led by Orkan Umurhan show nitrogen ice at the glacier base can melt and migrate upward through narrow conduits by buoyancy or pressure to reach the surface and refreeze.
  • Authors stress the result is model‑dependent and say laboratory tests of solid‑nitrogen physics and more high‑resolution mapping are needed because over half of Pluto lacks detailed images.
  • If confirmed, the finding would strengthen evidence that Sputnik Planitia is actively resurfacing and could inform explanations for similar features on bodies like Triton.