An Albedo Map and Frost Model of Pluto.

Details An Albedo Map and Frost Model of Pluto. An Albedo Map and Frost Model of Pluto.

Jan 1993

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=1993phdt........13y&link_type=abstract

Thesis (PH.D.)--MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY, 1993.Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 54-03, Secti

Computer Science

Scientific paper

The once-per-century set of occultations of Pluto by its satellite Charon enable the construction of an albedo map of Pluto's sub-Charon hemisphere, which in turn provides a basis for models of volatile transport on Pluto. Photometric observations of the Pluto-Charon mutual events were obtained at the University of Texas McDonald Observatory from 1985 through 1990. We use three least squares models to find the surface albedo distributions that best match the observed lightcurves. All of the least squares fits use a singular value decomposition (SVD) implementation. The three models produce similar albedo maps. Features of the maps include a large, very bright region over the south pole, a dark band over the mid-southern latitudes, a bright band over the mid-northern latitudes. The average normal reflectance of the higher northern latitudes is about the same as Pluto's global average of 0.5. We do not find compelling evidence of a bright cap over the north polar region. We model Pluto's atmosphere and albedo for the period from 1990 to 2040. Pluto's surface temperature drops by about six degrees during this period, resulting in over 97% of its current atmosphere condensing onto the surface. As Pluto's atmosphere thins, the winds arising from sublimation-driven pressure gradients increase beyond Mach 1. Our model predicts that the crossover to supersonic winds occurs around 2070. Our current frost migration model is valid only for the subsonic regime, but a supersonic frost transport model may help to explain the polar asymmetry of Pluto's albedo distribution. In the short term, the bulk of the new frost is deposited on the south pole. The change in albedo distribution is sensitive to the manner in which new frost reflectances are modeled, but the sheer volume of material (over 40 g/cm^2) deposited mandates the formation a bright cap on the south pole. The north pole may develop a smaller polar cap during this period. (Copies available exclusively from MIT Libraries, Rm. 14-0551, Cambridge, MA 02139-4307. Ph. 617-253-5668; Fax 617-253-1690.).

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