Sputnik Planitia/ˈspʌtnɪkpləˈnɪʃiə,ˈspʊt-/ (formerly Sputnik Planum)[4] is a large, partially glaciated basin on Pluto. About 1,400 by 1,200 km (870 by 750 mi) in size,[3] Sputnik Planitia is partially submerged in large, bright glaciers of nitrogen ice. Named after Earth's first artificial satellite, Sputnik 1, it constitutes the western lobe of the heart-shaped Tombaugh Regio. Sputnik Planitia lies mostly in the northern hemisphere, but extends across the equator. Much of it has a surface of irregular polygons separated by troughs, interpreted as convection cells in the relatively soft nitrogen ice. The polygons average about 33 km (21 mi) across.[5] In some cases troughs are populated by blocky mountains or hills, or contain darker material.[6] There appear to be windstreaks on the surface with evidence of sublimation.[7][8] The dark streaks are a few kilometers long and all aligned in the same direction.[6] The planitia also contains pits apparently formed by sublimation.[6] No craters were detectable by New Horizons, implying a surface less than 10 million years old.[9] Modeling sublimation pit formation yields a surface age estimate of 180000+90000 −40000 years.[10] Near the northwest margin is a field of transverse dunes (perpendicular to the windstreaks), spaced about 0.4 to 1 km apart, that are thought to be composed of 200-300 μm diameter particles of methane ice derived from the nearby Al-Idrisi Montes.[11][12]
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^"Sputnik Planitia". Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature. USGS Astrogeology Research Program.
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SputnikPlanitia /ˈspʌtnɪk pləˈnɪʃiə, ˈspʊt-/ (formerly Sputnik Planum) is a large, partially glaciated basin on Pluto. About 1,400 by 1,200 km (870 by...
Western parts of SputnikPlanitia there are fields of transverse dunes formed by the winds blowing from the center of SputnikPlanitia in the direction...
the atmosphere from Sputnik Planitia, and then deposited as ice. Some of this nitrogen ice then returns to SputnikPlanitia via glacial flow. The region...
activity. Geologic map of SputnikPlanitia and surroundings (context), with convection cell margins outlined in black SputnikPlanitia appears to be composed...
of SputnikPlanitia near Al-Idrisi Montes, there are fields of transverse dunes formed by the winds, which blow from the center of SputnikPlanitia in...
by the New Horizons spacecraft in 2015, it is located southwest of SputnikPlanitia within Hyecho Palus, adjacent to the Tenzing Montes and Belton Regio...
the surface of Pluto, southwest of the Norgay Montes and adjacent to SputnikPlanitia. It was discovered in 2015 by the spacecraft New Horizons and named...
of the dwarf planet Pluto. It is located near the western border of SputnikPlanitia in Tombaugh Regio. These mountains were first viewed by the New Horizons...
2021). "Tectonism and Enhanced Cryovolcanic Potential Around a Loaded SputnikPlanitia Basin, Pluto". Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets. 126. Bibcode:2021JGRE...
eruption. Although SputnikPlanitia represents the youngest surface on Pluto, it is not a cryovolcanic structure; SputnikPlanitia continuously resurfaces...
honoring astronomer Michael J. Belton. The macula lies west of the SputnikPlanitia region of Tombaugh Regio, also known as Pluto's "heart", and to the...
located northwest of Tenzing Montes in the southwest border area of SputnikPlanitia in the south of Tombaugh Regio (or the part of Tombaugh Regio south...
extent of Triton's volatile distribution (in strong contrast to Pluto's SputnikPlanitia ice sheet). However, the extent of Triton's polar caps may be significantly...
Solid nitrogen on the plains of SputnikPlanitia (on the bottom-right side of the image) on Pluto next to water ice mountains (on the up-left side of the...
"Primordial N2 provides a cosmo chemical explanation for the existence of SputnikPlanitia, Pluto". Icarus. 313: 79–92. arXiv:1805.09285. Bibcode:2018Icar..313...
range of icy mountains on Pluto, bordering the southwest region of SputnikPlanitia and the nearby Hillary Montes and Wright Mons. With peaks reaching...
Adlivun Cavus is a small depression on the southern tip of SputnikPlanitia. It was discovered by the New Horizons spacecraft in 2015. The name is from...
Challenger Colles is a range of hills on Pluto near the eastern edge of SputnikPlanitia. Discovered by the New Horizons team in July 2015, It is named in honor...
Dados Colles are a cluster of hills ("colles") on the smooth plains of SputnikPlanitia on Pluto. The hills are over 100 km from the major mountain ranges...
Coleta de Dados Colles Hillary Montes Tenzing Montes Wright Mons Plains SputnikPlanitia Valleys and depressions Adlivun Cavus Lineae Luna Linea Craters Burney...
A geological map of the SputnikPlanitia basin on the dwarf planet Pluto. Analysis of planetary surfaces and surface features is a major component of planetary...
– Tenzing Montes (left-foreground); Hillary Montes (left-skyline); SputnikPlanitia (right) Near-sunset view includes several layers of atmospheric haze...
Coleta de Dados Colles Hillary Montes Tenzing Montes Wright Mons Plains SputnikPlanitia Valleys and depressions Adlivun Cavus Lineae Luna Linea Craters Burney...
impact event which created SputnikPlanitia, as seismic energy from the impact may have concentrated at SputnikPlanitia's antipode, fracturing Pluto's...
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