‘New kind of climate’: NASA’s James Webb Telescope discovers strange atmospheric phenomenon on Pluto
A study led by Tanguy Bertrand of the Paris Observatory, in Nature Astronomy, found that Pluto’s haze affects its climate by absorbing sunlight during the day and releasing it as infrared radiation at night.
New Insights from James Webb Telescope
Astronomers have used the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) to study Pluto’s upper atmosphere, revealing that a high-altitude haze plays a major role in controlling the dwarf planet’s climate. The results confirm a long-standing theory that this haze significantly cools the planet’s upper atmosphere.
Pluto's Surprising Atmosphere
When NASA’s New Horizons mission flew past Pluto in 2015, it discovered a bluish, multi-layered haze extending over 300 kilometres above the surface. This haze was far more complex than expected. Until then, Pluto was thought to be a simple frozen body with little atmospheric activity.
Findings Published in Nature Astronomy
A study led by Tanguy Bertrand of the Paris Observatory, published on June 2 in Nature Astronomy, found that Pluto’s haze affects its climate by absorbing sunlight during the day and releasing it as infrared radiation at night. This makes Pluto’s upper atmosphere around 30 degrees Celsius cooler than previously estimated.
Composition of the Haze
The haze is composed of Titan-like organic particles and ices made of hydrocarbons and nitriles. These particles are formed by sunlight-driven reactions involving methane and nitrogen. Their presence was confirmed by measuring Pluto’s thermal emission using JWST’s MIRI instrument.
Overcoming Observation Challenges
Earlier attempts to confirm the haze’s effect were hindered by interference from Pluto’s moon Charon, which orbits very close. JWST’s advanced infrared instruments in 2022 were finally able to distinguish the faint glow of Pluto’s haze from Charon’s signal, validating previous climate models.
A New Type of Climate System
Bertrand described Pluto’s climate as 'a new kind of climate' due to the dominant role of haze particles rather than atmospheric gases. This makes Pluto unique in the solar system. The study also raises the possibility that other haze-covered bodies may have similar systems.
Implications Beyond Pluto
The findings could inform research into other planetary bodies with hazy atmospheres, such as Saturn’s moon Titan. Scientists also suggest Earth’s early atmosphere may have had similar haze layers, potentially playing a role in stabilising temperatures before the presence of oxygen.
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