New Horizons data suggests mountains of nitrogen ice on Pluto have evaporated

Baltimore Sun ^ | 7/17/15 | Scott Dance

[stanne]

They have SUVs on Pluto?

[ScottinVA]

It MUST be “climate change,” and much, much worst than we all thought! Pass a law... ban cars.. tax something! Do SOMETHING!”

[ScottinVA]

“Should name it Planet Clinton.. Disintegrating as we watch”

The ice especially applies!

[Moonman62]

We are stardust.

[alexander_busek]

Where did all that nitrogen come from?

From the same swirling primordial nebula from which the planetesimals formed which eventually developed into the planets (or, failing that, into dwarf planets, asteroids, comets, etc.) of our Solar System.

Why are you interested in where in particular the nitrogen came from? I mean, if the article had mentioned mountains of, e.g., carbon dioxide ice (instead of frozen nitrogen): Would you have wondered where that carbon dioxide came from?

Regards,

[wally_bert]

I thought it was the Gamelons. They might get mad if they have to give up their technology and hurl masses of radioactive meteor bombs. Bad idea.

[taildragger]

Solar Warming, it is all Bush, Cheney’s and Big Oil’s fault...

[outofsalt]

"Can’t expect too much accuracy out of the Baltimore Sun!"

"dark matter either collecting or bubbling up"
Now they report this?

[smokingfrog]

I just think it’s interesting that there is so much nitrogen concentrated in one place. Pluto seems to be somewhat similar to Saturn’s moon Titan, only smaller. I read an explaination of how scientists think that Titan formed, but it didn’t make much sense to me.

[smokingfrog]

Also - if something has evaporated, how does one tell exactly what it was that has evaporated when it is gone?

[ken in texas]

...how does one tell exactly what it was that has evaporated when it is gone?

That's easy -- they have computer models for that. </s

[piytar]

BTW wanted to be clear that wasn’t a typo. I meant you understand the difference. Doubt the journalist does.

[SunkenCiv]

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[smokingfrog]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cryovolcano

[smokingfrog]

[smokingfrog]

ICY FROZEN PLAINS OF PLUTO