Pluto System- NH Scientific Results |
Pluto System- NH Scientific Results |
Oct 15 2015, 06:46 PM
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Senior Member Group: Members Posts: 1729 Joined: 3-August 06 From: 43° 35' 53" N 1° 26' 35" E Member No.: 1004 |
out in Science (and in open access, thanks Alan!):
The Pluto system: Initial results from its exploration by New Horizons |
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Oct 15 2015, 08:10 PM
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Senior Member Group: Members Posts: 1887 Joined: 20-November 04 From: Iowa Member No.: 110 |
QUOTE The bulk densities of Pluto and Charon were found to differ by less than 10%, which is consistent with bulk rock contents for the two bodies that are likewise similar. This could imply that both precursor bodies were undifferentiated (or only modestly differentiated) prior to their collision—which would have profound implications for the timing, the duration, and even the mechanism of accretion in the ancestral Kuiper Belt. Hmm... Formation after Al-26 decays? Formation of 100 km objects directly from chrondules? Hierarchical accretion of those or pebble accretion onto them? ETA: Pluto and Charon formed and grew as a double planet? |
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Oct 15 2015, 11:23 PM
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Senior Member Group: Members Posts: 1057 Joined: 17-February 09 Member No.: 4605 |
......ETA: Pluto and Charon formed and grew as a double planet? Given that Pluto has an axial tilt around 122 degrees the more likely scenario is that the Pluto/Charon system formed as the result of a major collision. While the original bodies would have formed during solar system accretion we don't really know how long ago the Pluto/Charon system formed or indeed, how long ago Pluto finally became tidally locked. Spin down could have completed reasonably recent in geological terms which could explain some to the seemingly recent tectonic features. |
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