On the surface of Pluto stands a gigantic structure in the shape of a heart. A heart of frozen nitrogen that beats. And that makes the winds blow on the dwarf planet. In a rather surprising way.
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It has been 114 years, almost to the day, that William Tombaugh, the discoverer of Pluto, was born on the side of Illinois (United States). On the dwarf planet, a heart-shaped icy region was named in his honor. And NASA researchers (United States) show today that the famous Tombaugh region is at the origin of the wind unique that blow on Pluto.
Recall that thenitrogen gas is the main constituent of fine atmosphere from the dwarf planet. The famous heart that mission New horizons (Nasa) unveiled on the surface of the dwarf planet in 2015 is, meanwhile, made up of a layer several kilometers thicknitrogen frozen. During the day, this nitrogen heats up and turns into gas. At night, this gas condenses and becomes frozen nitrogen again. Like a “beating heart”, pumping the nitrogen winds that blow on Pluto.
Winds blowing opposite to the direction of rotation
Researchers now show that these beats push theatmosphere of Pluto to generally travel in the opposite direction to its rotation. A unique phenomenon called retro rotation. They also show that winds blowing on the planet dwarf have an influence on its appearance. Because it is the winds that sweep the surface and transport heat, ice grains and particles of mist which give rise to dark streaks and plains in the northern and north-western regions of the plain Sputnik which is the left lobe of the heart.
Pluto’s “beating heart” could have “As important to the weather of Pluto that the oceans have for that of Earth “, concludes Tanguy Bertrand, astronomer to NASA in a press release from the American Geophysical Union (AGU).
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