The recent expansion of Pluto's atmosphere (original) (raw)

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Acknowledgements

Setting up the equipment and recording the occultation data proved to be a challenge, and we appreciate the assistance of G. Koenig, L. Berkgnut, T. Denault, P. Sears, R. Stone, D. Severinsen, A. Pickles and T. Carroll. We thank the staff of the Maui Space Surveillance System for their assistance in taking the Haleakala data, and we thank B. Sicardy et al. for communication of results before publication. The United Kingdom Infrared Telescope is operated by the Joint Astronomy Centre on behalf of the UK Particle Physics and Astronomy Research Council. This work was supported, in part, by Research Corporation, the Southwest Research Institute, NSF and NASA. L.C.R. and D.T.H. were supported by Air Force Research Laboratory/Directed Energy.

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Author notes

1. D. J. Osip
   Present address: Institute for Astronomy, 2680 Woodlawn Drive, Honolulu, Hawaii, 96822, USA
2. J. E. Thomas-Osip
   Present address: Las Campanas Observatory, Carnegie Observatories, Casilla 601, La Serena, Chile

Authors and Affiliations

1. Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 02139-4307, USA
   J. L. Elliot, K. B. Clancy, S. D. Kern, D. J. Osip, M. J. Person, C. V. Salyk & J. E. Thomas-Osip
2. Department of Physics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 02139-4307, USA
   J. L. Elliot
3. Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 02139-4307, USA
   S. Qu
4. Lowell Observatory, Flagstaff, Arizona, 86001, USA
   J. L. Elliot, A. S. Bosh, M. W. Buie, E. W. Dunham, C. B. Olkin, B. W. Taylor & L. H. Wasserman
5. Department of Physics & Astronomy, Pomona College, 610 N. College Avenue, Claremont, California, 91711, USA
   A. Ates & B. E. Penprase
6. Physics Department, Williams College, Williamstown, Massachusetts, 01267-2565, USA
   B. A. Babcock
7. Hopkins Observatory, Williams College, Williamstown, Massachusetts, 01267-2565, USA
   J. M. Pasachoff, S. P. Souza & D. R. Ticehurst
8. Institute for Astrophysical Research, Boston University, 725 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts, 02215, USA
   A. S. Bosh
9. Department of Astronomy, 212 Space Sciences Building, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, 14853, USA
   S. S. Eikenberry & D.-S. Moon
10. The Boeing Company, 535 Lipoa Pkwy, Suite 200, Kihei, Hawaii, 96753, USA
    D. T. Hall, S. K. Leggett & L. C. Roberts Jr
11. US Naval Observatory, Flagstaff Station, PO Box 1149, Flagstaff, Arizona, 86002-1149, USA
    S. E. Levine & R. C. Stone
12. Institute for Astronomy, 2680 Woodlawn Drive, Honolulu, Hawaii, 96822, USA
    D. J. Tholen
13. NASA Infrared Telescope Facility,
    J. T. Rayner

Authors

1. J. L. Elliot
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2. A. Ates
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3. B. A. Babcock
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4. A. S. Bosh
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5. M. W. Buie
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6. K. B. Clancy
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7. E. W. Dunham
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8. S. S. Eikenberry
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9. D. T. Hall
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10. S. D. Kern
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11. S. K. Leggett
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12. S. E. Levine
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13. D.-S. Moon
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14. C. B. Olkin
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15. D. J. Osip
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16. J. M. Pasachoff
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17. B. E. Penprase
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18. M. J. Person
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19. S. Qu
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20. J. T. Rayner
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21. L. C. Roberts Jr
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22. C. V. Salyk
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23. S. P. Souza
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24. R. C. Stone
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25. B. W. Taylor
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26. D. J. Tholen
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27. J. E. Thomas-Osip
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28. D. R. Ticehurst
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29. L. H. Wasserman
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Correspondence toJ. L. Elliot.

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The authors declare that they have no competing financial interests.

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Elliot, J., Ates, A., Babcock, B. et al. The recent expansion of Pluto's atmosphere.Nature 424, 165–168 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1038/nature01762

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• Received: 28 February 2003
• Accepted: 27 May 2003
• Issue Date: 10 July 2003
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/nature01762