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Contrast Reversal and Emergent Features on Pluto

  • Authors: Jason D. Hofgartner, Bonnie J. Buratti, Will M. Grundy, S. Alan Stern, Anne J. Verbiscer

Jason D. Hofgartner et al 2025 The Planetary Science Journal 6 .

  • Provider: AAS Journals

Caption: Figure 9.

Cloud or surface coating hypothesis for Pluto’s CRs. S CR, NW CR, and NE CR correspond to the southernmost, northwesternmost, and northeasternmost example CRs, respectively, in Figures 1 and 4. SP1 corresponds to a Sputnik Planitia locality between the three example CRs. The 95% statistical confidence intervals are generally smaller than the filled circles, and the two P_LORRI (19° solar phase angle) measurements of each locality are indistinguishable. The Hapke+haze photometric function is shown using SP1 best-fit parameters and average incidence and azimuth angles (both angles are approximately constant; Table 1). Hapke+cloud+haze photometric functions are shown using best-fit SP1 surface/shallow subsurface and global haze and S CR, NW CR, or NE CR cloud parameters and average incidence and azimuth angles. Best-fit parameters for each locality, however, were determined using angles specific to each measurement, and residuals are generally smaller than they appear. Optically thin scattering between the surface and global haze, by a cloud or surface coating, satisfactorily fits differences of example CRs on Pluto from their surroundings.

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