Agreed. Dark dunes with perhaps streaks representing dust transport by wind?

New image released! Still at this higher resolution it's hard to see topography on Pluto's surface. That big bright spot over the equator looks surprisingly smooth.

When are the next images planned to reach the ground?

I agree with Phil on this that the sharp contours of the bright region as well as the contours of the dark equatorial region would seem to indicate tectonic forces are responsible for shaping Pluto's surface in this region. The bright region somehow reminds me of the chevron on Miranda except that it's looking bright and smooth from what we see from these low resolution images.

Given the low resolution so far , I agree that any kind of interpretation remains pure speculation. However I tempt to not agree with ZLDs suggestion that the dark areas represent mesas. I would like to think they are low lying areas possibly filled in by some hydrocarbon gunk but again one can be in for a total surprise. A week now to go for best resolution pics which hopefully should verify, disprove this.

From this release it is evident that there are dark streaks emanating from the dark equatorial spots and they seem to follow the same direction possibly along some persistent wind pattern or else stripes along geological fault lines!

I am still puzzled by the nature of the bright patch just over the equator. Could it represent different ice compostion from the polar region or could it be a cryovolcano?

Just speculating. The dark equatorial regions and the bright polar cap would seem to indicate some process leading to preferential hydrocarbon 'sand' deposition in lower latitudes as for ice deposits at higher latitudes. Except for that bright region which seems to straddle the equator which would therefore seem to show it to be some land mass analogous to Xanadu on Titan. Would this be a sign of plate tectonics on Pluto in keeping with a hypothesized internal ocean ?

The Pluto system is really coming into view now. It is still surprising even thou it was mentioned before, to see the sharp contrast between light and dark surfaces on Pluto.

Circa 40% of Tritons surface was imaged by Voyager..what percentage of Plutos surface will be imaged at close encounter by NH?

From this distance, Pluto is looking very much like Triton with similar processes in place in terms of a polar cap which seems to be sublimating with potential geysers. Don't you agree?

Pluto is looking more and more like a golf ball!

I would be happy with a a lander mission

Are we sure that is an impact crater?

I recall the Uranus and Neptune flybys back in the 80 s. At the time I had to check any info from TV programmes covering the events and there weren't many. This day and age when you get social media and blogs It will be much easier to follow the Pluto flyby and the experience of such an encounter even more thrilling and exciting. Enjoy the ride. Thank you Alan Stern and NH team for this opportunity!

My wild guess regarding the dark areas within the bright areas..I believe we could be seeing first signs of sublimation of ice!

Pleased because that means a longer water story for Mars.

It's a conglomerate!

The pahrump unit is traversed by gypsum veins filling fracture lines in the rock. The rock unit above it is distinctively layered and somewhat made up of coarser grains. It lacks such veins which are present in the pahrump unit.

Okay dudes got the message..Thanks for the info

I am grateful that rover images are posted on the Web for the public to see but it's frustrating at the same time to the lack of scientific info as to what the findings are regarding these rocks at this location. Perhaps it reflects the fact that the science community has not made up its mind yet about these findings?

Hope this is the correct channel but has it been determined at what elevation is yellow knife bay compared to the current rover position in relation to the washboard and Murray formation units?

Would it not be possible to question the hypothesis of an internal ocean on pluto by simply observing the orbits of Pluto and Charon from this distance ?

Given all the hype about water detection at Ceres prior to Dawn's arrival in orbit, I am surprised at the extent of cratering present on this dwarf planet. I expected it more perhaps to look like Jupiter's Europa rather tHan resembling Earth's moon.

Brilliant stuff. Good times ahead.