<p>Found this link by Emily Lakdawalla, she wrote a detailed explanation about Pluto`s seasons and its movement thru the solar system. Here research seems to contradict the atmosphere collapse and and here 3 models and research on Pluto. Seems the most likely model gives the highest pressure in the atmosphere between 2020 ad 2040, but none a atmosphere collapse. <a href="http://www.planetary.org/blogs/emily-lakdawalla/2013/09051420-plutos-atmosphere-does-not-collapse.html" rel="nofollow noreferrer">source</a></p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-07-16T17:50:55.920Z
+1 for mentioning Ms. Lakdawalla.  She and Phil Plait are the best references you can find for astronomy topics.
Carl Witthoft
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-07-13T23:00:43.827Z
2018-07-15T11:58:06.257Z
2018-07-15T11:58:06.257Z
JanErik
<p>There were theories that Pluto's atmosphere collapses when it gets too far from the sun.</p>

<p>Then I've read <a href="https://arxiv.org/abs/1601.05672" rel="noreferrer">papers</a> that says that it <a href="http://www.planetary.org/blogs/emily-lakdawalla/2013/09051420-plutos-atmosphere-does-not-collapse.html" rel="noreferrer">doesn't</a>.</p>

<p>But <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/feature/new-horizons-reveals-pluto-s-atmospheric-pressure-has-sharply-decreased" rel="noreferrer">NASA</a> says that the surface pressure went down recently (implying that it does).</p>

<p>Is there any clear data as to what's going on?</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-07-13T23:19:33.640Z
Similar to Mars, Pluto's atmosphere can freeze on it's surface and later return to the atmosphere depending on temperature.   The same thing happens on Earth with water vapor, but water's a tiny fraction of our atmosphere.   Pluto may also be undergoing some gradual outgassing and permanent loss of it's surface, to atmosphere, to space, but I'm not 100% certain.
userLTK
<planetary-atmosphere><pluto>
Does Pluto's atmosphere collapse?
gastronomer
# Does Pluto's atmosphere collapse?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2018-07-13)

There were theories that Pluto's atmosphere collapses when it gets too far from the sun.

Then I've read [papers](https://arxiv.org/abs/1601.05672) that says that it [doesn't](http://www.planetary.org/blogs/emily-lakdawalla/2013/09051420-plutos-atmosphere-does-not-collapse.html).

But [NASA](https://www.nasa.gov/feature/new-horizons-reveals-pluto-s-atmospheric-pressure-has-sharply-decreased) says that the surface pressure went down recently (implying that it does).

Is there any clear data as to what's going on?

**Tags:** planetary-atmosphere, pluto
> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Similar to Mars, Pluto's atmosphere can freeze on it's surface and later return to the atmosphere depending on temperature.   The same thing happens on Earth with water vapor, but water's a tiny fraction of our atmosphere.   Pluto may also be undergoing some gradual outgassing and permanent loss of it's surface, to atmosphere, to space, but I'm not 100% certain.  

---

## 1 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2018-07-13. Score: 4

Found this link by Emily Lakdawalla, she wrote a detailed explanation about Pluto`s seasons and its movement thru the solar system. Here research seems to contradict the atmosphere collapse and and here 3 models and research on Pluto. Seems the most likely model gives the highest pressure in the atmosphere between 2020 ad 2040, but none a atmosphere collapse. [source](http://www.planetary.org/blogs/emily-lakdawalla/2013/09051420-plutos-atmosphere-does-not-collapse.html)

> **Comments:**
> **username_3**: +1 for mentioning Ms. Lakdawalla.  She and Phil Plait are the best references you can find for astronomy topics.  

---

