Signs of Late-Stage Cryovolcanism in Plutos Hayabusa Terra — a new study reveals that the icy dwarf planet, once thought to be geologically dead, might still harbor the forces of an active world beneath its frozen surface.
A recent paper published in The Planetary Science Journal has reignited curiosity about Pluto’s geological activity. Researchers studying the Kildaze caldera in the Hayabusa Terra region have uncovered compelling evidence of cryovolcanism, a type of volcanism involving ice-based magma, or “cryolava,” rather than molten rock.
Exploring Pluto’s Icy Volcanoes
Using high-resolution images from NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft, which flew past Pluto in July 2015, the team analyzed the structure and terrain of the Kildaze caldera. They compared it to known volcanic formations on other celestial bodies — including Virgil Fossae and Viking Terra on Pluto itself, Yellowstone and Long Valley Caldera on Earth, and Noctis Labyrinthus on Mars.
To deepen their analysis, scientists built digital elevation models and 3D terrain visualizations to determine the age and origins of the ice deposits found there. Their findings suggest that the water ice within Kildaze is only a few million years old — remarkably young compared to Pluto’s estimated 4.5-billion-year age.
This means that Pluto’s surface is not ancient and static, as once believed, but may have experienced recent or ongoing cryovolcanic activity.
A Frozen Eruption of the Past
The study concludes that the Kildaze region is a cryovolcano with a large caldera structure — possibly the result of multiple icy eruptions that released as much as 1,000 cubic kilometers of cryolava. This discovery reshapes our understanding of Pluto as a world that, despite its freezing temperatures, might still possess internal energy capable of reshaping its landscape.
Unlike Earth’s fiery volcanoes, cryovolcanoes erupt slushy mixtures of water, ammonia, methane, and other volatiles. These materials freeze almost instantly when exposed to Pluto’s frigid surface temperatures, creating the planet’s distinct bluish-white plains and ridged terrains.
What Powers Pluto’s Cryovolcanism?
One of the biggest mysteries surrounding Pluto’s cryovolcanic behavior is its energy source. Being so far from the Sun — an average of 5.9 billion kilometers away — solar heating is insufficient to drive such activity.
Scientists propose two main theories:
- Tidal Heating: Caused by gravitational interactions between Pluto and its largest moon, Charon, generating internal friction and heat.
- Radiogenic Heating: Produced by the radioactive decay of isotopes deep inside Pluto’s core.
A 2022 study published in Icarus suggested that tidal forces from Charon may have generated heat that persisted for billions of years, keeping Pluto’s interior partially active long after its formation.
Unlocking Pluto’s Hidden Energy
The New Horizons mission remains the only spacecraft to have visited Pluto, but its flyby provided crucial clues. Since 2015, scientists have continued to examine the spacecraft’s data to map Pluto’s internal structure and identify signs of recent activity.
Pluto’s varied landscape — from towering ice mountains to vast nitrogen plains — already hinted at dynamic processes beneath its frozen crust. The discovery of young cryovolcanic formations strengthens the argument that Pluto is still evolving.
Several new missions have been proposed to revisit Pluto, including a fusion-powered orbiter and lander that could reach the dwarf planet in just four years — compared to the nine years it took New Horizons. Such missions could finally confirm whether cryovolcanism is still active today.
End of an Empire, Beginning of Discovery
Pluto’s cryovolcanic secrets redefine our understanding of the outer solar system. The icy world, long dismissed as a cold relic, now appears to be a place of transformation and endurance — a frozen frontier still alive with mystery.
As scientists continue to explore Pluto’s Hayabusa Terra, one truth becomes clear: even at the farthest reaches of the Sun’s influence, the universe finds ways to stay active. What other hidden worlds might still be alive, waiting to be found? Only time — and science — will tell.
Source: Universe Today
