October 2nd, 2017
About a year ago I read some of @ChasAstro info related to Pluto, good stuff with original concepts. I rarely agree with everything anybody says but I still find many of Charles' ideas and observations insightful and thought provoking. The most refreshing thing about Charles' web site to me is, it comes from his own concepts and observations not some preordained NASA script.
After reading his page on Pluto's subtle banding stripes, I could never get his expressed observations out of my mind as it is visually difficult to ignore once you see it.
Charles quote
It is amazing but the Sputnik Planum phenomenon has shown us that Pluto does have a relatively thin crust (4~5 km) that is floating on an internal sea of solid but soft methane, nitrogen and carbon monoxide. That the crust is light enough to float on the soft ice is demonstrated by the rafts of ‘crust-bergs’ washed up on the shore and some still floating in the soft ice of Sputnik Planum.
These thoughts expressed by Charles were written pre-NASA (LPSC 2016 Bill McKinnon) brain washing conference that suggested there is a water ocean of which there is zero evidence or proof, as a matter of fact, there's more evidence against a water ocean than for it. From observational evidence Charles draws the same conclusion I do. Pluto's crust is floating on a sea of soft CH4, N2 and CO not water.
Here's a brief description of his observations about banding stripes which I call skin slip on a trip.
After reading his page on Pluto's subtle banding stripes, I could never get his expressed observations out of my mind as it is visually difficult to ignore once you see it.
Charles quote
It is amazing but the Sputnik Planum phenomenon has shown us that Pluto does have a relatively thin crust (4~5 km) that is floating on an internal sea of solid but soft methane, nitrogen and carbon monoxide. That the crust is light enough to float on the soft ice is demonstrated by the rafts of ‘crust-bergs’ washed up on the shore and some still floating in the soft ice of Sputnik Planum.
These thoughts expressed by Charles were written pre-NASA (LPSC 2016 Bill McKinnon) brain washing conference that suggested there is a water ocean of which there is zero evidence or proof, as a matter of fact, there's more evidence against a water ocean than for it. From observational evidence Charles draws the same conclusion I do. Pluto's crust is floating on a sea of soft CH4, N2 and CO not water.
Here's a brief description of his observations about banding stripes which I call skin slip on a trip.
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Charles shows these two images on his site displaying banding stripes.
The image on the right is 4 individual Pluto pictures prior to their processing into one image. Below is a similar image from Charles' site with more individual pre-processed images showing the banding effect. |
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Since Charles created his site in late 2015, I've had the benefit of two additional years to acquire processed images of Pluto by the likes of talented people such as Roman Tkachenko who created the below rendering of Pluto. This one in particular stands out to me as displaying clear banding stripes which infer regular cycles producing banding due to skin slip. The technical term for skin slip is true polar wander. On my wobble page, I suggested this skin slip is probably induced by Milankovitch cycles.
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On Earth we experience skin slip in the form of plate tectonics where the crust slips and slides around. It is thought that water is the lubricant that allows for this slipping. On Pluto the lubricant is Nitrogen.
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credit James Keane
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The below and left images are James Keane drawn cartoons reflecting the theory postulated by NASA scientists (put forth by Bill McKinnon). In this scenario an object impacted Pluto 60 degrees north and 90 degrees east which created an impact crater over 4 billion years ago. The impact crater then wandered SE to finally end up on the anti Charon point of Pluto. There are zero impact craters in the solar system, that we know of, that are geologically active. Geology is known to erode impacts and erase them from existence. Everything about this scenario is wrong. Impacts at geologically active sites don't last 4 billion years. There's no ring evidence supporting the impact theory, there's no ejecta. |
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Consider this illogical logic from NASA.
An object struck Pluto 60 degree N lat and 90 degrees E lon. The object was 150 to 250 km and struck at a 5, 40 or greater than 45 degree angle depending upon which meeting Bill McKinnon is speaking. This object created the only geologically active impact site in the solar system, its 4 billion years old and has not eroded. This collision caused the ice crust to become thin enough to create a subsurface internal inverted bulge which back filled with ocean water (from a core too small to be hot) which made this spot heavier or denser than any other place on Pluto. This 2-3 mile deep basin is a positive gravity anomaly and against known physics the densest side of Pluto which was at a 90 degree angle to Charon rotated away from Charon's strong gravitational pull to align facing opposite where it should. |
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On my wobble page I presented an idea that could explain Sputnik Planitia's (SP) anti Charon alignment, its called Milankovitch cycles where Pluto's pole wobbles 24 degrees creating extreme weather changes as well as painting a tidal bulge circle in the heart of SP. This energy is just enough to create near surface pressures and flexing to soften subsurface nitrogen to semi liquid state producing the lubricant needed for skin slip. If this theory is correct then SP is created by a sub-crustal stationary hot spot and Pluto's skin is slipping from SE to NW over that hot spot exactly like we see in the Hawaiian islands.
The below NASA produced image shows how there is a band from 13N to 13S latitude where the Sun always shines. It is noted in the image that this band is where volatiles have been preferentially removed, in other words, this is similar to what we might call a desert or a hot equatorial region but this hot zone is still super cold its just more consistently lit by the sun providing tholin producing photon energy while sublimating the methane snow leaving a band of dark red tholin nearly encircling the planet. Make no mistake though, the red tholin is everywhere on Pluto including the northern hemisphere it is simply covered by a layer of white methane snow.
The below NASA produced image shows how there is a band from 13N to 13S latitude where the Sun always shines. It is noted in the image that this band is where volatiles have been preferentially removed, in other words, this is similar to what we might call a desert or a hot equatorial region but this hot zone is still super cold its just more consistently lit by the sun providing tholin producing photon energy while sublimating the methane snow leaving a band of dark red tholin nearly encircling the planet. Make no mistake though, the red tholin is everywhere on Pluto including the northern hemisphere it is simply covered by a layer of white methane snow.
Here's the peculiar thing about this 13N - 13S band.
The Milankovitch wobble draws a 12 degree North and 12 degree South bulging circle exactly inside this 13 N to 13 S zone at the anti Charon side where we see the smooth surface (Pit) of SP. This horizontal band from 13N to 13S shows a dark band of tholin around nearly all of the planet except at the anti Charon point.
The Milankovitch wobble draws a 12 degree North and 12 degree South bulging circle exactly inside this 13 N to 13 S zone at the anti Charon side where we see the smooth surface (Pit) of SP. This horizontal band from 13N to 13S shows a dark band of tholin around nearly all of the planet except at the anti Charon point.
The anti Charon point is completely different, its active, its a fluid of glacial nitrogen ice, its surface is smoother at this anti Charon zone than elsewhere on SP (it has a lack of polygonal mounds bounded by troughs). On my Eruptions page I showed how this is a shallow near surface effect not created by deep heat from a core. This 13S-13N dark band's departure from its normal state at the anti Charon point strongly indicates Charon and the Milankovitch cycle are currently sustaining this phenomenon.
That means this hot spot is dependent on Charon and since Pluto and Charon are currently tidally locked, the hot spot is locked as well.
In other words SP is not from an impact at 60 degrees north which rotated down to 0 degrees but rather it is a stationary spot over which the crust of Pluto slips from SE to NW creating banding stripes.
As a bit of a side note, the below dual image released by NASA shows an elevation map (top) and composition map (bottom).
The upper elevation map shows elevated Tartarus Dorsa with its bulging mountains and their penitentes.
The lower composition map shows methane accumulation at these higher elevations.
Following along the equatorial band where the image is blurred but displaying signs of intermittent methane clusters suggests the orange clusters are high elevation zones mostly clustered at zero to 30 E and zero to 30 W where Pluto faces Charon.
That means this hot spot is dependent on Charon and since Pluto and Charon are currently tidally locked, the hot spot is locked as well.
In other words SP is not from an impact at 60 degrees north which rotated down to 0 degrees but rather it is a stationary spot over which the crust of Pluto slips from SE to NW creating banding stripes.
As a bit of a side note, the below dual image released by NASA shows an elevation map (top) and composition map (bottom).
The upper elevation map shows elevated Tartarus Dorsa with its bulging mountains and their penitentes.
The lower composition map shows methane accumulation at these higher elevations.
Following along the equatorial band where the image is blurred but displaying signs of intermittent methane clusters suggests the orange clusters are high elevation zones mostly clustered at zero to 30 E and zero to 30 W where Pluto faces Charon.
Upper map is elevation red is highest. Lower map is composition orange is methane. Blurry portion is orange methane heavy suggesting high elevation at these locations.
This would then mean the area facing directly at Charon (right/left edges of map) is distended outward bulging toward Charon while SP (anti Charon) is a depression or collapsed basin similar to what we see on Mars with Hellas basin and Olympus Mons.
To help visualize the relationship of the anti Charon zone to the Charon facing zone, I placed vertical black lines at 150 to 210 degrees or (30 degrees left and right of SP center). I also placed lines at 30 and 330 degrees to show the opposite side within the same anti zone.
The majority of the methane (indicating high elevation) falls between 30 and 330 while the majority of the SP basin falls between 150 and 210 degrees. Pluto has a zone of outward bulge where it faces toward Charon and has a collapsed zone at the anti Charon side.
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One confusing thing about the above image is that the northern hemisphere especially as we migrate toward the pole is covered in white methane snow but its more green not orange in the above image indicating less methane. Not sure why there's such a large visual discrepancy in these two methane map images. There's also this below image from an article published Sept 25th, 2017 Quote |
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This intense insolation has caused sublimation of the most volatile of Pluto’s ices (N2) at the north pole, and atmospheric transport has redistributed the N2 further south34. This can be seen in Fig. 4, where CH4 is the most abundant species in the north.
Fig 4. a–d, Fractional abundances (f) of: CH4-rich solid solution with <3% N2 (a); N2-rich solid solution with <5% CH4 (b); H2O ice (c); and tholin (d). Figure reproduced from ref. 33, Elsevier.
The surface of Pluto’s north pole is low in water ice and is instead dominated by methane ice, which sublimates and condenses through seasonal cycles of insolation to cover the non-volatile water ice.
Figure (a) The red stuff at the north pole is the f or fractional abundance of CH4 with less than 3% N2 there are also red speckles of this methane dotting the elevation peaks of Tartarus Dorsa to the east of SP.
Above we have one data map showing orange methane primarily located along the elevation zones around the equator. Then we have a data map with purple methane primarily and heavily dispersed around the elevated north pole, the elevated mountains of Tartarus Dorsa but also in the deep basin of SP. And we have a data map with red methane focused around the north pole but also dotting the peaks of Tartarus Dorsa. These maps don't exactly disagree with each other but the intensity of the methane signature is not always consistent from one image to the next. Its possible one image captured data from a greater depth than the next image.
In either case, this latest discovery is important as it shows the presence of methane on elevated surfaces on the far side of Pluto concentrated primarily directly opposite SP while SP itself is a 3 km deep depression.
Back to skin slip.
I have noted random similarities between some features on Pluto to the west of SP which lead me to believe these land features were once at SP and drifted NW. I hadn't noticed previously how all those similarities exist in the same relative locations.
Here's a visual overview of the names of features on Pluto.
The surface of Pluto’s north pole is low in water ice and is instead dominated by methane ice, which sublimates and condenses through seasonal cycles of insolation to cover the non-volatile water ice.
Figure (a) The red stuff at the north pole is the f or fractional abundance of CH4 with less than 3% N2 there are also red speckles of this methane dotting the elevation peaks of Tartarus Dorsa to the east of SP.
Above we have one data map showing orange methane primarily located along the elevation zones around the equator. Then we have a data map with purple methane primarily and heavily dispersed around the elevated north pole, the elevated mountains of Tartarus Dorsa but also in the deep basin of SP. And we have a data map with red methane focused around the north pole but also dotting the peaks of Tartarus Dorsa. These maps don't exactly disagree with each other but the intensity of the methane signature is not always consistent from one image to the next. Its possible one image captured data from a greater depth than the next image.
In either case, this latest discovery is important as it shows the presence of methane on elevated surfaces on the far side of Pluto concentrated primarily directly opposite SP while SP itself is a 3 km deep depression.
Back to skin slip.
I have noted random similarities between some features on Pluto to the west of SP which lead me to believe these land features were once at SP and drifted NW. I hadn't noticed previously how all those similarities exist in the same relative locations.
Here's a visual overview of the names of features on Pluto.
One or two comparable matching land features would be enough to evoke suspicion of similarities and evidence of skin slip from SE to NW but there are six. Not just six random similarities but six similarities in the same location relationship to each other.
- Venera Terra's terrain matches the northern ice sheets of SP.
- South of Venera Terra is a sunken Piri Planitia basin similar to the deep pit sunken southern portion of SP.
- Below Piri Planitia is a crinkled rough surfaced terrain similar to the rough surface of the area south of SP.
- To the East of Piri Planitia is the raised elevated Viking Terra just as there is a raised highland to the East of SP.
- To the West of SP is a N/S ridge line similar to a Fossae ridge to the West of Venera Terra and Piri Planitia
- Along the top and bottom of Viking Terra are two horizontal fractures (Fossae) similar to the ones running horizontally through the highlands
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Venera Terra ice sheets with Fossae ridge running along its edge with Piri Planitia to the south |
Northern part of SP. |
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<<<<<<< Venera Terra North of Piri Planitia basin with signs of ice sheet break up. >>>>>>> Polygonal cells with troughs on SP (ice sheets) North of the deep pit without troughs |
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<<<<<< Piri Planitia sunken frozen basin South of Venera Terra. >>>>>> Smooth surfaced deep pit basin South of polygonal cells (ice sheets). |
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<<<<<<< Rough terrain area below Piri Planitia. >>>>>>> Rough terrain area below SP. |
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<<<<<< Elevation map showing how Viking Terra is elevated relative to Piri Planitia to the East. >>>>>> Elevation map of highlands relative to SP basin to the East. |
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Piri Planitia to the west of Viking Terra has fractures showing signs that fluid once drained from Viking Terra into Piri Planitia just like we see in the above purple green NASA image of the highlands dumping material in a flow pattern into the SP basin.
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<<<<<< The elevated Viking Terra bounded by expansion fractures. >>>>>> Highlands with expansion fractures leading to the Spider. |
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Look at the similarities between the features along with their relationship and locations relative to each other.
All these relative similarities in terrain along with locations and positions to each other suggest the whole Venera Terra, Piri Plantia, Rough Terrain, Viking Terra and the expansion fractures indicate this entire area was once under similar if not identical conditions to what we see now within SP and surrounding area. This is why I say anti Charon point at SP is a stationary hot spot and the crust is slipping from a SE to NW direction.
All these relative similarities in terrain along with locations and positions to each other suggest the whole Venera Terra, Piri Plantia, Rough Terrain, Viking Terra and the expansion fractures indicate this entire area was once under similar if not identical conditions to what we see now within SP and surrounding area. This is why I say anti Charon point at SP is a stationary hot spot and the crust is slipping from a SE to NW direction.
Update May 15, 2018
Seven months after writing this page I found a statement in a paper written by Francis Nimmo and friends.
The paper;
Seven months after writing this page I found a statement in a paper written by Francis Nimmo and friends.
The paper;
| reorientation_of_sputnik_planitia_implies_a_subsurface_ocean_on_pluto_nimmo_hamilton_mckinnon1.pdf |
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The statement;
Conversely, if Sputnik Planitia represents a present-day negative gravity anomaly it must have formed closer to the equator. This paper is supporting the idea that SP is a positive gravity anomaly and if it is then the crust has slipped or migrated from the northwest southward and east carrying SP along as shown by the red crosses in this image. Based on math formulas, if SP is a positive gravity anomaly, then SP would have migrated southeast assuming Pluto's crust is decoupled from a core. If, on the other hand, SP is a negative gravity anomaly then the math formulas indicate SP must have traveled the opposite direction. |
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The question lies in what you choose to believe. Do you choose to believe in averages along with facts like 3.5 km (2.2 mi) deep depressions contain less mass than 2.5 km (1.6 mi) elevated terrain as is found on the opposite side of SP? Depressions regularly produce gravity maps with negative gravity anomalies while elevated surfaces produce positive gravity features.
Or do you choose to believe in unseen unproven subsurface ocean bubbles rotating the densest part of Pluto away from Charon's close proximity and strong gravitational influence in defiance of Newtons law of universal gravitation, do you prefer to believe in impacts without ejecta, without evidence of rings, or impacts forming a unique (only one of its kind) geologically active crater 4 billion years old 6 to 7 times larger than the impactor when geologic activity is known to erode impact sites into oblivion rather than enlarge them.
Or do you choose to believe in unseen unproven subsurface ocean bubbles rotating the densest part of Pluto away from Charon's close proximity and strong gravitational influence in defiance of Newtons law of universal gravitation, do you prefer to believe in impacts without ejecta, without evidence of rings, or impacts forming a unique (only one of its kind) geologically active crater 4 billion years old 6 to 7 times larger than the impactor when geologic activity is known to erode impact sites into oblivion rather than enlarge them.
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Here's an elevation map. Take note of the low elevation corridor running slightly diagonally but mostly S to N outlined in pink. This is a location where the skin of Pluto is very thin. I suspect, when Pluto's skin slips this corridor is where the two sections slide past each other, after all, this corridor is lined by some of the highest (orange) peaks on Pluto. This corridor sorta reminds me of what's taking place in the Himalayan mountains where India is thrust faulted into the Eurasian plate creating the highest mountains in the world like K2 and Everest. NASA scientists say there's no evidence of compression on Pluto only expansion fractures. Do the elevated mountains lining the edges of this corridor look like they were formed by compression forces to you? This looks like an obvious series of compression ridges to me. |
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October 8th 2017,
Just visited a NASA web page related to this north pole area. I was looking for actual elevation numbers but stumbled onto this comment. These canyons also appear to represent evidence for an ancient period of tectonics. Why does it matter? This paper says Since there is no evidence for recent compressional tectonic features, we argue that ice II has not formed and that Pluto's ocean has likely survived to present day. No compression tectonics is at the heart of the theory that suggests Pluto has a subsurface ocean |
One of these quotes uses the word "ancient" the other "recent" but this is a matter of semantics. How would anyone be able to say there is or is not evidence of recent compression without seismometers.
The fact that there is evidence of compressional tectonics at the ridge to the south of SP as well as along the north pole indicates compression not just expansion.
The fact that there is evidence of compressional tectonics at the ridge to the south of SP as well as along the north pole indicates compression not just expansion.
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This means the skin is moving.
One could argue the Himalayan Mountains are ancient as well as recent since they were formed 40 mya but are still forming as the two plates continue to collide. The Tetons were formed a mere 15,000 years ago and are still forming and rising. |
The Grand Tetons Image credit PlutoPittbull
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The bottom line is, Pluto has evidence of compression ridges and no one knows how ancient or recent they are. The above paper bases their entire premise on there being no "recent" compressional tectonics, nevertheless, there is evidence of compression, rendering the paper's conclusion (a freezing water ocean exists) null and void.
Teton Mountain Range. Image credit PlutoPittbull
Below is a roughly extracted section of SP and surrounding area along with the similarly shaped area to the NW.
Since we can only view the area to the northwest on a diagonal line of site it looks slightly disproportional.
Since we can only view the area to the northwest on a diagonal line of site it looks slightly disproportional.
I know some of these terrain interpretations aren't exactly similar but the relative positions and somewhat closely matched land features does suggest the NW area once experienced warmer conditions not far from what SP is currently experiencing.
The way I see it, Pluto's crust is slipping from SE to NW.
NASA scientists suggest the crust is moving NW to SE.
Like I usually say, they are the professionals don't take my word for it.
I'm simply trying to figure this stuff out the best I can.
The more I learn the more I realize I don't know anything.
Decide for yourself.
The way I see it, Pluto's crust is slipping from SE to NW.
NASA scientists suggest the crust is moving NW to SE.
Like I usually say, they are the professionals don't take my word for it.
I'm simply trying to figure this stuff out the best I can.
The more I learn the more I realize I don't know anything.
Decide for yourself.
