A two-component volatile atmosphere for Pluto. I. The bulk hydrodynamic escape regime

Journal Article · Wed Aug 01 04:00:00 EDT 1990 · Astrophysical Journal; (USA)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1086/169083· OSTI ID:6479482

Trafton, L ^[1]

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1. Texas Univ., Austin (USA)

The seasonal effects on Pluto's atmosphere of a simplified system of CH{sub 4} and N{sub 2} saturated over a solid solution are investigated, and the results are compared with previous CH{sub 4} models. It is found that bulk escape occurs for CH{sub 4} mole fractions less than 0.7 of Pluto's volatile reservoir. Greater CH{sub 4} abundance leads to diffusive separation during the escape of both species and an atmospheric mixing ratio of about Xc(0). If Xc(0) is in the range 0.02-0.10, Pluto's atmosphere remains largely intact at aphelion rather than virtually freezing out as it does for Xc(0) greater than 0.3 or less than 0.001, or form an atmosphere with only a single volatile gas. An upper limit for the CH{sub 4} mixing ratio is about 0.07 if N{sub 2} is the second gas. On the other hand, CH{sub 4} is the dominant surface constituent of the volatile deposit if Xc(0) is greater than 0.0001. 29 refs.

• OSTI ID: 6479482
• Journal Information: Astrophysical Journal; (USA), Journal Name: Astrophysical Journal; (USA) Vol. 359; ISSN ASJOA; ISSN 0004-637X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640107* -- Astrophysics & Cosmology-- Planetary Phenomena
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
ABUNDANCE
ALKANES
ANNUAL VARIATIONS
ATMOSPHERES
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
ELEMENT ABUNDANCE
ELEMENTS
FLUID MECHANICS
HYDROCARBONS
HYDRODYNAMICS
MATTER
MECHANICS
METHANE
MIXING
NITROGEN
NONMETALS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
PLANETARY ATMOSPHERES
PLANETS
PLUTO PLANET
SURFACES
THERMODYNAMIC PROPERTIES
VAPOR PRESSURE
VARIATIONS
VOLATILE MATTER