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Researchers Model Pluto's Atmosphere, Find 225 Mph Winds

Posted by timothy on from the go-model-a-kite dept.

MatthewVD writes "Pluto may have been downgraded to a dwarf planet, but researchers modeling its wisp of an atmosphere continue to find that it is a surprisingly complex world, particularly when it comes to weather patterns. Howling winds that sweep clockwise around the planet at up to 225 mph — though the atmosphere is so thin, it would only feel like 1 mph on Earth. The algorithms used to model the atmosphere will be helpful in studying far more complex atmospheres, like Earth's."

5 of 77 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Gravity by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

    We don't lack gravity, the Earth just has more...

    THE DETAILS ARE NOT IMPORTANT

  2. Re:Gravity by vlm · · Score: 5, Informative

    You would still be blown all over the place because of the lack of gravity, it just takes a bit longer to accelerate to speed.

    Its only about a 20th not zero.

    To a ridiculously crude first approximation, if the force of the wind is equivalent to 1 MPH at earth STP, then factoring in gravity it would be like being in a 20 MPH wind on earth WRT to being tipped over. However you'd have the same inertia you have on earth, so there wouldn't be much tumbling around due to gusts.

    --
    "Science flies us to the moon. Religion flies us into buildings." - Victor Stenger
  3. Two birds with one stone by Lucas123 · · Score: 3, Funny

    We should set up wind mill farms on Pluto, thereby avoiding the problem of adding to global warming and ruining the view of wealthy people who live on Cape Cod. Now, how to solve the electrical conduit problem...

  4. Only good for testing the model by Troyusrex · · Score: 4, Insightful

    So a computer program said there'd be 225MPH winds? Until it can be verified whether these winds exist or not all it tells us is someone built a model that predicts this. Without verification of the hypotheses the science isn't complete enough to draw any solid conclusions.

  5. Re:Models of models of models by luis_a_espinal · · Score: 4, Insightful

    So, we're using the methodolgy that is insufficient to model the earth's atmosphere, to model an object that we cannot test directly, and claim it will help understand the complex systems?

    Yeah, let's wait until we have all the variables in place before carrying a modeling experiment </rolls eyes>

    I applaud

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Backhanded_compliment

    the attempt at creating a more complete guess about the nature of a distant planet (full or dwarf), but without a way to test the predictions, this has very little use in refining the models.

    Geee, I wonder what those scientists of old (not so old) were thinking when they formulated things like Relativity and Quantum Mechanics at a time when it was impossible test the predictions </more rolling eyes>