Journal Article

Large changes in Pluto's atmosphere as revealed by recent stellar occultations

Beisker, W., Hainaut, O. R., Rosenzweig, P., Rapaport, M., Montalvo, C., Widemann, T., Renner, S., Campos, R., Cavero, L. Gaviria, Schultheis, M., Lellouch, E., Spyromilio, J., Cuillandre, J.-C., Gendron, E., Lagrange, A.-M., Carvajal, A., Barría, D., Lacombe, F., Lidman, C., Birnbaum, C., Roques, F., Lecacheux, J., Leyrat, C., Calderón, H., Carrillo, S., Raynaud, E., Sicardy, B., Veillet, C., Naranjo, O., Levato, H., Maury, A., Brooks, K., Recalde, E., Duffard, R., Colas, F., Díaz, F., Kretlow, M., Delsanti, A., Gilmozzi, R., Porras, L., Fienga, A.

2003

Overview

Pluto's tenuous nitrogen atmosphere was first detected by the imprint left on the light curve of a star that was occulted by the planet in 1985 (ref. 1 ), and studied more extensively during a second occultation event in 1988 (refs 2–6 ). These events are, however, quite rare and Pluto's atmosphere remains poorly understood, as in particular the planet has not yet been visited by a spacecraft. Here we report data from the first occultations by Pluto since 1988. We find that, during the intervening 14 years, there seems to have been a doubling of the atmospheric pressure, a probable seasonal effect on Pluto.

• Publisher: Nature Publishing Group UK,Nature Publishing,Nature Publishing Group
• Subject: Astronomy / Astrophysics / Atmosphere / Earth, ocean, space / Exact sciences and technology / Humanities and Social Sciences / letter / multidisciplinary / Neutral atmospheres / Physics / Planetary, asteroid, and satellite characteristics and properties / Planets, their satellites and rings. Asteroids / Pluto / Science / Science (multidisciplinary) / Solar system / Spacecraft