Large changes in Pluto's atmosphere as revealed by recent stellar occultations

B. Sicardy (), T. Widemann, E. Lellouch, C. Veillet, J.-C. Cuillandre, F. Colas, F. Roques, W. Beisker, M. Kretlow, A.-M. Lagrange, E. Gendron, F. Lacombe, J. Lecacheux, C. Birnbaum, A. Fienga, C. Leyrat, A. Maury, E. Raynaud, S. Renner, M. Schultheis, K. Brooks, A. Delsanti, O. R. Hainaut, R. Gilmozzi, C. Lidman, J. Spyromilio, M. Rapaport, P. Rosenzweig, O. Naranjo, L. Porras, F. Díaz, H. Calderón, S. Carrillo, A. Carvajal, E. Recalde, L. Gaviria Cavero, C. Montalvo, D. Barría, R. Campos, R. Duffard and H. Levato
Additional contact information
B. Sicardy: Observatoire de Paris, LESIA
T. Widemann: Observatoire de Paris, LESIA
E. Lellouch: Observatoire de Paris, LESIA
C. Veillet: Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope
J.-C. Cuillandre: Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope
F. Colas: Observatoire de Paris, IMCCE
F. Roques: Observatoire de Paris, LESIA
W. Beisker: International Occultation Timing Association, European Section
M. Kretlow: International Occultation Timing Association, European Section
A.-M. Lagrange: Observatoire de Grenoble
E. Gendron: Observatoire de Paris, LESIA
F. Lacombe: Observatoire de Paris, LESIA
J. Lecacheux: Observatoire de Paris, LESIA
C. Birnbaum: Cité des Sciences et de l'Industrie
A. Fienga: Observatoire de Paris, IMCCE
C. Leyrat: Observatoire de Paris, LESIA
A. Maury: Gene Shoemaker Observatory
E. Raynaud: Observatoire de Paris, LESIA
S. Renner: Observatoire de Paris, LESIA
M. Schultheis: Institut d'Astrophysique de Paris
K. Brooks: European Southern Observatory
A. Delsanti: European Southern Observatory
O. R. Hainaut: European Southern Observatory
R. Gilmozzi: European Southern Observatory
C. Lidman: European Southern Observatory
J. Spyromilio: European Southern Observatory
M. Rapaport: Observatoire Aquitain des Sciences de l'Univers
P. Rosenzweig: Universidad de Los Andes, Facultad de Ciencias
O. Naranjo: Universidad de Los Andes, Facultad de Ciencias
L. Porras: Universidad de Los Andes, Facultad de Ciencias
F. Díaz: Universidad de Los Andes, Facultad de Ciencias
H. Calderón: Universidad de Los Andes, Facultad de Ciencias
S. Carrillo: Cumbaya
A. Carvajal: Cumbaya
E. Recalde: Cumbaya
L. Gaviria Cavero: Asociación Eta Carinae, 1
C. Montalvo: Asociación Eta Carinae, 1
D. Barría: Observatório Cerro Armazones, Universidad Católica del Norte
R. Campos: Laboratório Nacional de Astrofísica
R. Duffard: Observatório Nacional
H. Levato: Complejo Astronómico, El Leoncito

Nature, 2003, vol. 424, issue 6945, 168-170

Abstract: Abstract Pluto's tenuous nitrogen atmosphere was first detected by the imprint left on the light curve of a star that was occulted by the planet in 1985 (ref. 1), and studied more extensively during a second occultation event in 1988 (refs 2–6). These events are, however, quite rare and Pluto's atmosphere remains poorly understood, as in particular the planet has not yet been visited by a spacecraft. Here we report data from the first occultations by Pluto since 1988. We find that, during the intervening 14 years, there seems to have been a doubling of the atmospheric pressure, a probable seasonal effect on Pluto.

Date: 2003
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DOI: 10.1038/nature01766

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