Astronomers uncover hidden ocean beneath Pluto's icy surface
Astronomers have made a groundbreaking discovery, finding strong evidence of a vast ocean of liquid water hidden beneath the icy surface of Pluto. The research, published in the scientific journal Icarus, offers new insights into the composition of this distant celestial body. The study was led by Alex Nguyen, a graduate student in Earth, environmental, and planetary sciences at Washington University in St. Louis.
Unraveling Pluto's subsurface ocean using NASA's images
Nguyen's team employed mathematical models and images from NASA's New Horizons spacecraft to investigate Pluto's subsurface ocean. The study, co-authored by Patrick McGovern of the Lunar and Planetary Institute in Houston, sheds light on a long-standing debate about the existence of liquid water on Pluto. This research marks a significant step forward in understanding the dwarf planet's composition.
Pluto's hidden ocean: A closer look
Nguyen and McGovern further explored the properties of Pluto's hidden ocean. They created mathematical models to explain the cracks and bulges in the ice covering the Sputnik Platina Basin. This massive basin, formed by a meteor impact billions of years ago, suggests an ocean below. Their models indicate this ocean is shielded by a 40-to-80-kilometer-thick shell of water ice.
Estimating the density of Pluto's hidden ocean
By analyzing surface fractures, the researchers were able to estimate the ocean's potential density or salinity. According to Nguyen, they determined a zone similar to Goldilocks, where the density and shell thickness find an optimal equilibrium. The findings suggest that Pluto's ocean is about 8% denser than Earth's seawater, comparable to Utah's Great Salt Lake. If humans could somehow reach Pluto's ocean, they would effortlessly float.
Facts about Pluto
Discovered by Clyde Tombaugh in 1930, Pluto was initially hailed as the ninth planet in our solar system. However, in 2006, the International Astronomical Union (IAU) reclassified it as a dwarf planet. Pluto traverses its orbit around the Sun at an average distance of 5.9 billion kilometers, requiring roughly 248 Earth years to complete a single revolution. Measuring approximately 2,372 kilometers in diameter, it is smaller than Earth's moon.
