(06.08.2013)
The polar switch also affects cosmic rays, which can endanger satellites and astronauts. Disturbances in the rays could even affect Earth’s climate.
The sheet acts as a „shield“ against these rays, and a wavy current sheet can be even more effective.
(16.09.2016)
The most likely explanation, according to Wolk, is that high energy particles from the solar wind are colliding with escaped bits of Pluto’s atmosphere—which is mostly nitrogen, carbon, and oxygen—stripping away electrons, and producing an x-ray flare. If true, that’s a very important insight, because it means Pluto’s atmosphere is boiling away into space. Slowly.
(…)
Clearly, more research is needed to figure out exactly why Pluto’s atmosphere is leaky, and what’s responsible.
(10.05.2019)
Thus Pluto had its equinox in 1988, before moving to perihelion (at 30 au) in 1989. Since then, the dwarf planet has continually moved away from the Sun to reach 32 ua in 2016, which represents a loss of 25 % of his average insolation.
Naively, a sharp fall in atmospheric pressure could be expected. In fact, the gas-ice balance of nitrogen imposes that for each degree Kelvin lost at the surface, the pressure should decrease by a factor of two.
But the exact opposite occurs.
(06.03.2019)
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;
(29.04.2019)
If Pluto’s atmosphere collapses and freezes over, the dwarf planet may appear brighter in our sky because it will reflect more sunlight, Cole said.
(Last updated on 15 September 2010 by gpwayne)
Claims that solar system bodies are heating up due to increased solar activity are clearly wrong. The sun’s output has declined in recent decades. Only Pluto and Neptune are exhibiting increased brightness.
(09.10.2002)
Elliot said the new results have surprised the observers, who as recently as July thought that Pluto’s atmosphere may be cooling. (…)
Since 1989, for example, the sun’s position in Pluto’s sky has changed by more than the corresponding change on the Earth that causes the difference between winter and spring.