Vulcan Planum

E489480

Vulcan Planum is a vast, relatively smooth and geologically young plain on Pluto’s moon Charon, likely formed by cryovolcanic or tectonic resurfacing.

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Statements (33)

Predicate Object
instanceOf cryovolcanic plain
plain
planetary geological feature
associatedWith extensional tectonics on Charon
contrastsWith Mordor Macula NERFINISHED
coordinateReference Charon coordinate system
discoveredBy New Horizons spacecraft NERFINISHED
discoveryMission New Horizons NERFINISHED
evidenceFor cryovolcanic flows on Charon
flybyDate 2015-07-14
geologicalAge geologically young
hasFeature fractured terrain boundaries
low-relief surface
imagedBy New Horizons LORRI camera NERFINISHED
New Horizons Ralph instrument NERFINISHED
indicates recent resurfacing on Charon
likelyOrigin cryovolcanic resurfacing
tectonic resurfacing
locatedIn Charon southern hemisphere
locatedOn Charon NERFINISHED
locatedSouthOf Mordor Macula NERFINISHED
nameApprovalYear 2018
nameApprovedBy International Astronomical Union NERFINISHED
namedAfter Vulcan (fictional planet in Star Trek) NERFINISHED
observedFrom New Horizons flyby trajectory
orbitsWith Pluto–Charon system NERFINISHED
partOf Charon geology
planetaryBody Charon NERFINISHED
surfaceCharacter relatively smooth
surfaceComposition water ice–rich crust
surfaceMorphology broad plains
few large impact craters
system Pluto system NERFINISHED

Referenced by (1)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Charon hasFeature Vulcan Planum