Study of Pluto's Atmosphere Based on 2020 Stellar Occultation Light Curve Results
arXiv:2011.04737 · doi:10.1051/0004-6361/202141718
Abstract
On 6 Jun 2020, Pluto's stellar occultation was successfully observed at a ground-based observatory and Pluto's atmospheric parameters were investigated. We used an atmospheric model of Pluto (DO15), assuming a spherical and transparent pure N2 atmosphere. Using ray-tracing code the stellar occultation light curve was satisfactorily fitted to this model. We found that Pluto's atmospheric pressure at the reference radius of 1215 km is 6.72+_0.21 μbar. Our estimated pressure shows a continuation of the increasing pressure studied in 2016 consistent with a seasonal volatile transport model. We concluded that the N2 condensation processes in the Sputnik Planitia glacier are increasing due to the heating of the N2 ice in this basin. This study's result was shown on the diagram of the annual evolution of atmospheric pressure.
arXiv comment4 figures, 2 tables
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