1. Lower atmosphere and pressure evolution on Pluto from ground-based stellar occultations, 1988–2016
- Author
-
Jean Lecacheux, Michaël Gillon, Jean Manfroid, Josselin Desmars, Robert R. Howell, T. R. Marsh, G. Benedetti-Rossi, J. G. Greenhill, A. Dias-Oliveira, Ilan Manulis, G. Wortmann, K. M. Ivarsen, J.-E. Communal, S. Renner, F. Vachier, L. Tzouganatos, M. Irzyk, P. Machado, M. Harnisch, Lawrence H. Wasserman, J. Broughton, V. Lorenzi, W. H. Allen, W. Beisker, G. Murawsky, A. Magazzu, David Polishook, J. Marques Oliveira, A. R. Gomes-Junior, M. Conti, J. P. Godard, M. Lavayssière, G. Krannich, Lawrence A. Molnar, Federica B. Bianco, S. de Visscher, Leslie A. Young, Maxime Devogele, Marcelo Assafin, Alessandro Marchini, B. Kattentidt, P. Barroy, G. Dangl, A. Eberle, J. B. Haislip, K. M. Hill, Nora Morales, Andrew A. Cole, P. Enskonatus, B. Loader, Emilio Molinari, V. S. Dhillon, O. Klös, M. Ait Moulay Larbi, Bruno Sicardy, Tanguy Bertrand, Richard Querel, K. Walzel, Diane Berard, P. Lindner, J. P. Rivet, Y. Moulane, L. Di Fabrizio, Rene Duffard, D. Vérilhac, G. McKay, Raoul Behrend, Emmanuel Jehin, Fabio Salvaggio, Greg Bolt, Ricardo Gil-Hutton, J. Milner, Martin Jelínek, J. Sérot, D. Vernet, Kosmas Gazeas, F. Signoret, K. L. Bath, A. C. Gilmore, E. Lellouch, D. Herald, A. Selva, D. Lanoiselée, M. Boutet, Ph. Bendjoya, Shai Kaspi, E. Meza, John Talbot, S. P. Littlefair, Alain Maury, Roberto Vieira-Martins, Marc W. Buie, F. Jabet, S. Kerr, A. Román, Thomas Widemann, C. Opitom, R. Zanmar Sanchez, P. B. Graham, E. Frappa, Catherine B. Olkin, H.-J. Bode, H. Eichler, J. De Queiroz, K. Lindner, A. P. LaCluyze, Zouhair Benkhaldoun, D. Gault, Alain Doressoundiram, François Forget, Riccardo Papini, T. Dobosz, B. E. Morgado, J. Rovira, B. Lade, Daniel E. Reichart, O. Faragó, R. Jansen, Luigi Mancini, A. Noschese, Noah Brosch, Felipe Braga-Ribas, A. Daassou, H. Pavlov, A. Carbognani, S. Todd, F. Colas, Y. El Azhari, C. Peterson, V. Tsamis, M. Bretton, J. Hattenbach, F. Ciabattari, Rodrigo Leiva, C. Veillet, A. J. Castro Tirado, Joe Pollock, R. Naves, Pablo Santos-Sanz, D. Hampf, D. Neel, J. L. Ortiz, S. Alonso, L. Abe, P. M. Kilmartin, Julio Camargo, J. M. Ohlert, D. Gloistein, K. Tigani, F. Marchis, M. Dohrmann, Richard G. French, Ronan Cunniffe, T. Janik, Tamás Tordai, E. F. Young, S. Parker, G. Bonnoli, A. Pennell, M. Kretlow, P. Sogorb, Z. Moravec, W. Rothe, C. Perelló, K. Guhl, A. B. Giles, B. Gährken, Françoise Roques, Valentin D. Ivanov, Giuseppe Leto, Laboratoire d'études spatiales et d'instrumentation en astrophysique (LESIA (UMR_8109)), Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Observatoire de Paris, Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris Diderot - Paris 7 (UPD7)-Sorbonne Université (SU)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Observatório do Valongo/UFRJ [Rio de Janeiro], Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Nîmes (CHU Nîmes), Laboratoire de Météorologie Dynamique (UMR 8539) (LMD), Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-École polytechnique (X)-École des Ponts ParisTech (ENPC)-Sorbonne Université (SU)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Département des Géosciences - ENS Paris, École normale supérieure - Paris (ENS Paris), Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-École normale supérieure - Paris (ENS Paris), Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL), Institut de Mécanique Céleste et de Calcul des Ephémérides (IMCCE), Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université de Lille-Sorbonne Université (SU)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Ludwig Maximilians University of Munich, Southwest Research Institute [Boulder] (SwRI), Observatorio Nacional [Rio de Janeiro], Universidade Estadual Paulista Júlio de Mesquita Filho = São Paulo State University (UNESP), Observatório Nacional/MCT, Observatoire Astronomique de l'Université de Genève (ObsGE), Université de Genève (UNIGE), Instituto de Astrofísica de Andalucía (IAA), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas [Madrid] (CSIC), UZEI PRAGUE CZE, Partenaires IRSTEA, Institut national de recherche en sciences et technologies pour l'environnement et l'agriculture (IRSTEA)-Institut national de recherche en sciences et technologies pour l'environnement et l'agriculture (IRSTEA), National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research [Lauder] (NIWA), European Southern Observatory [Santiago] (ESO), European Southern Observatory (ESO), Institut d'Astrophysique et de Géophysique [Liège], Université de Liège, Space Sciences, Technologies and Astrophysics Research Institute (STAR), Department of Physics and Astronomy [Boone], Appalachian State University, University of North Carolina System (UNC)-University of North Carolina System (UNC), Département d'Astrophysique (ex SAP) (DAP), Institut de Recherches sur les lois Fondamentales de l'Univers (IRFU), Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives (CEA)-Université Paris-Saclay-Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives (CEA)-Université Paris-Saclay, Universidad Nacional de San Juan (UNSJ), University of Sheffield [Sheffield], Kuriwa Observatory, Astronomical Association of Queensland (AAQ), Euraster, Observatoire de Dax, Cardiff School of European Studies (CSES), Cardiff University, Department of Earth, Planetary and Space Sciences [Los Angeles] (EPSS), University of California [Los Angeles] (UCLA), University of California-University of California, Joseph Louis LAGRANGE (LAGRANGE), Université Côte d'Azur (UCA)-Université Nice Sophia Antipolis (... - 2019) (UNS), COMUE Université Côte d'Azur (2015-2019) (COMUE UCA)-COMUE Université Côte d'Azur (2015-2019) (COMUE UCA)-Observatoire de la Côte d'Azur, COMUE Université Côte d'Azur (2015-2019) (COMUE UCA)-Université Côte d'Azur (UCA)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Fundació Privada Observatori Esteve Duran, The Wise Observatory and The Raymond & Beverly Sackler School of Physics and Astronomy, Tel Aviv University [Tel Aviv], Wise Observatory and Department of geophysics and planetary sciences, Université Cadi Ayyad [Marrakech] (UCA), Stockport Observatory, Occultation Section [Wellington], Royal Astronomical Society of New Zealand, Laboratoire Hippolyte Fizeau (FIZEAU), Université Nice Sophia Antipolis (... - 2019) (UNS), COMUE Université Côte d'Azur (2015-2019) (COMUE UCA)-COMUE Université Côte d'Azur (2015-2019) (COMUE UCA)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Observatoire de la Côte d'Azur, COMUE Université Côte d'Azur (2015-2019) (COMUE UCA)-Université Côte d'Azur (UCA)-Université Côte d'Azur (UCA)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Observatoire de la Côte d'Azur (OCA), Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Laboratoire de Cosmologie, Astrophysique Stellaire & Solaire, de Planétologie et de Mécanique des Fluides (CASSIOPEE), Università degli Studi di Perugia (UNIPG), Institut Pascal (IP), Université Blaise Pascal - Clermont-Ferrand 2 (UBP)-SIGMA Clermont (SIGMA Clermont)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Polska Akademia Nauk = Polish Academy of Sciences (PAN), Astronomical Union of Sparta [Sparta], Laboratoire de Physique de la Matière Condensée - UR UPJV 2081 (LPMC), Université de Picardie Jules Verne (UPJV), PEIRENE (PEIRENE), Institut Génomique, Environnement, Immunité, Santé, Thérapeutique (GEIST), Université de Limoges (UNILIM)-Université de Limoges (UNILIM), Obervatoire des Baronnies Provençales (OBP), Observatorio Montcabre, Institut Laue-Langevin (ILL), ILL, ITA, USA, GBR, FRA, DEU, ESP, ARG, AUS, AUT, BEL, BRA, CHL, GRC, ISR, MAR, NZL, POL, PRT, CZE, CHE, École normale supérieure - Paris (ENS-PSL), Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-École normale supérieure - Paris (ENS-PSL), Ludwig-Maximilians University [Munich] (LMU), Université de Genève = University of Geneva (UNIGE), Universidad Nacional de San Juan [Argentine] (UNSJ), University of California (UC)-University of California (UC), Université Nice Sophia Antipolis (1965 - 2019) (UNS), Tel Aviv University (TAU), Università degli Studi di Perugia = University of Perugia (UNIPG), Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (Brasil), Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (España), European Research Council, European Commission, Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades (España), and Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (Brasil)
- Subjects
planets and satellites: physical evolution ,010504 meteorology & atmospheric sciences ,Orbital eccentricity ,Context (language use) ,Surface pressure ,Atmospheric sciences ,7. Clean energy ,01 natural sciences ,planets and satellites: terrestrial planets ,Atmosphere ,techniques: photometric ,Altitude ,Settore FIS/05 - Astronomia e Astrofisica ,0103 physical sciences ,methods: observational ,methods: data analysis ,planets and satellites: atmospheres ,observational [Methods] ,data analysis [Methods] ,010303 astronomy & astrophysics ,physical evolution [Planets and satellites] ,Optical depth ,0105 earth and related environmental sciences ,methods: observational, methods: data analysis, planets and satellites: atmospheres, techniques: photometric, planets and satellites: physical evolution, planets and satellites: terrestrial planets, Astrophysics - Earth and Planetary Astrophysics ,photometric [Techniques] ,Astronomy and Astrophysics ,Albedo ,Pluto ,13. Climate action ,Space and Planetary Science ,terrestrial planets [Planets and satellites] ,atmospheres [Planets and satellites] ,[PHYS.ASTR]Physics [physics]/Astrophysics [astro-ph] ,Geology ,Astrophysics - Earth and Planetary Astrophysics - Abstract
This article is dedicated to the memory of H.-J. Bode, J. G. Greenhill and O. Faragó for their long-standing support and participation to occultation campaigns. The work leading to these results has received funding from the European Research Council under the European Community’s H2020 2014-2020 ERC Grant Agreement n° 669416 “Lucky Star”. E.M. thanks support from Concytec-Fondecyt-PE and GA, FC-UNI for providing support during the 2012 July 18 occultation. B.S. thanks S. Para for partly supporting this research though a donation, J. P. Beaulieu for helping us accessing to the Hobart Observatory facilities and B. Warner, B. L. Gary, C. Erickson, H. Reitsema, L. Albert, P. J. Merritt, T. Hall, W. J. Romanishin, Y. J. Choi for providing data during the 2007 March 18 occultation. M.A. thanks CNPq (Grants 427700/2018-3, 310683/2017-3 and 473002/2013-2) and FAPERJ (Grant E-26/111.488/2013). J.L.O. thanks support from grant AYA2017-89637-R. P.S.S. acknowledges financial support from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Programme, under Grant Agreement no 687378, as part of the project “Small Bodies Near and Far” (SBNAF). J.L.O., R.D., P.S.S. and N.M. acknowledge financial support from the State Agency for Research of the Spanish MCIU through the “Center of Excellence Severo Ochoa” award for the Instituto de Astrofísica de Andalucía (SEV-2017-0709). F.B.R. acknowledges CNPq support process 309578/2017-5. G.B.R. thanks support from the grant CAPES-FAPERJ/PAPDRJ (E26/203.173/2016). J.I.B.C. acknowledges CNPq grant 308150/2016-3. R.V.M. thanks the grants: CNPq-304544/2017-5, 401903/2016-8, and Faperj: PAPDRJ-45/2013 and E-26/203.026/2015. B.M. thanks the CAPES/Cofecub-394/2016-05 grant and CAPES/Brazil – Finance Code 001. B.M. and A.R.G.J. were financed in part by the Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - Brasil (CAPES) – Finance Code 001. TRAPPIST-North is a project funded by the University of Liège, in collaboration with Cadi Ayyad University of Marrakech (Morocco). TRAPPIST-South is a project funded by the Belgian Fonds (National) de la Recherche Scientifique (F.R.S.-FNRS) under grant FRFC 2.5.594.09.F, with the participation of the Swiss National Science Foundation (FNS/SNSF). VSD, SPL, TRM and ULTRACAM are all supported by the STFC. K.G. acknowledges help from the team of Archenhold-Observatory, Berlin, and A.R. thanks G. Román (Granada) for help during the observation of the 2016 July 19 occultation. A.J.C.T. acknowledges support from the Spanish Ministry Project AYA2015-71718-R (including EU funds). We thank Caisey Harlingten for the repeated use of his 50 cm telescopes in San Pedro de Atacama, Chile. We thank the Italian Telescopio Nazionale Galileo (TNG), operated on the island of La Palma by the Fundación Galileo Galilei of the INAF (Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica) at the Spanish Observatorio del Roque de los Muchachos of the Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias. L.M. acknowledges support from the Italian Minister of Instruction, University and Research (MIUR) through FFABR 2017 fund and support from the University of Rome Tor Vergata through “Mission: Sustainability 2016” fund. The Astronomical Observatory of the Autonomous Region of the Aosta Valley (OAVdA) is managed by the Fondazione Clément Fillietroz-ONLUS, which is supported by the Regional Governmentof the Aosta Valley, the Town Municipality of Nus and the “Unité des Communes valdôtaines Mont-Émilius”. The research was partially funded by a 2016 “Research and Education”s grant from Fondazione CRT. We thank D.P. Hinson for his constructive and detailed comments that helped to improve this article., Context. The tenuous nitrogen (N2) atmosphere on Pluto undergoes strong seasonal effects due to high obliquity and orbital eccentricity, and has recently (July 2015) been observed by the New Horizons spacecraft. Aims. The main goals of this study are (i) to construct a well calibrated record of the seasonal evolution of surface pressure on Pluto and (ii) to constrain the structure of the lower atmosphere using a central flash observed in 2015. Methods. Eleven stellar occultations by Pluto observed between 2002 and 2016 are used to retrieve atmospheric profiles (density, pressure, temperature) between altitude levels of ~5 and ~380 km (i.e. pressures from ~ 10 μbar to 10 nbar). Results. (i) Pressure has suffered a monotonic increase from 1988 to 2016, that is compared to a seasonal volatile transport model, from which tight constraints on a combination of albedo and emissivity of N2 ice are derived. (ii) A central flash observed on 2015 June 29 is consistent with New Horizons REX profiles, provided that (a) large diurnal temperature variations (not expected by current models) occur over Sputnik Planitia; and/or (b) hazes with tangential optical depth of ~0.3 are present at 4–7 km altitude levels; and/or (c) the nominal REX density values are overestimated by an implausibly large factor of ~20%; and/or (d) higher terrains block part of the flash in the Charon facing hemisphere., European Research Council under the European Community’s H2020 2014-2020 ERC Grant Agreement n° 669416 “Lucky Star”, Grants 427700/2018-3, 310683/2017-3 and 473002/2013-2) and FAPERJ (Grant E-26/111.488/2013), Grant AYA2017-89637-R. P.S.S. acknowledges financial support from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Programme, under Grant Agreement no 687378, as part of the project “Small Bodies Near and Far” (SBNAF), Financial support from the State Agency for Research of the Spanish MCIU through the “Center of Excellence Severo Ochoa” award for the Instituto de Astrofísica de Andalucía (SEV-2017-0709), Support process 309578/2017-5. G.B.R. thanks support from the grant CAPES-FAPERJ/PAPDRJ (E26/203.173/2016). J.I.B.C. acknowledges CNPq grant 308150/2016-3. R.V.M. thanks the grants: CNPq-304544/2017-5, 401903/2016-8, and Faperj: PAPDRJ-45/2013 and E-26/203.026/2015. B.M. thanks the CAPES/Cofecub-394/2016-05 grant and CAPES/Brazil – Finance Code 001., Grant FRFC 2.5.594.09.F, with the participation of the Swiss National Science Foundation (FNS/SNSF), Support from the Spanish Ministry Project AYA2015-71718-R (including EU funds), Support from the Italian Minister of Instruction, University and Research (MIUR) through FFABR 2017 fund and support from the University of Rome Tor Vergata through “Mission: Sustainability 2016” fund
- Published
- 2019