Pluto's interaction with the solar wind

Details Pluto's interaction with the solar wind Pluto's interaction with the solar wind

Nov 1989

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=1989georl..16.1229b&link_type=abstract

Geophysical Research Letters (ISSN 0094-8276), vol. 16, Nov. 1989, p. 1229-1232.

Physics

19

Interplanetary Magnetic Fields, Molecular Interactions, Planetary Ionospheres, Pluto Atmosphere, Solar Planetary Interactions, Solar Wind, Methane, Spectrum Analysis, Stellar Occultation

Scientific paper

If Pluto's atmospheric escape rate is significantly greater than 1.5 x 10 to the 27th molecules/s then the interaction with the tenuous solar wind at 30 A.U. will be like that of a comet. There will be extensive ion pick-up upstream and the size of the interaction region will vary directly with variations in the solar wind flux. If the escape flux is much less, then one expects that the solar wind will be deflected around Pluto's ionosphere in a Venus-like interaction. In either case, the weak interplanetary magnetic field at 30 A.U. results in very large gyroradii for the picked-up ions and a thick bow shock, necessitating a kinetic treatment of the interaction. Strong variations in the size of the interaction region are expected on time scales of days due to changes in the solar wind.

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