Abstract Subsurface ice cryofluids and ice interactions with ammonia for cryovolcanic materials give the potential ingredients for the formation of mud volcanoes on Pluto. In order to constrain the possible morphology from images acquired by the New Horizons spacecraft, we have modeled the formation of mud volcanoes, isostatic layers of ice overlain by denser material, from a series of possible solid-liquid “mud” compositions (methane and ammonia), as well as accounting for the full range of eruption variables (e.g., mud viscosity, conduit diameter, and eruption duration). We categorize them into nine specific scenarios based on the composition of the top ice layer and mud composition. From these scenarios, the maximum height of the potential mud volcano can be calculated. We find that ammonia mud sources produce smaller edifice heights and wider flow profiles compared to methane-dominant mud cryovolcanoes. Assuming certain preliminary parameters, we also propose the evolution and development of the edifice of Wright Mons in as little as 3.8 million years given a 10 wt% ammonia subsurface mud composition. If characterized on Pluto's surface, mud volcanoes would provide an interesting insight on the subsurface dynamics of solids and cryofluids on Pluto.

中文翻译：

---

模拟冥王星上的低温泥浆火山活动

摘要 地下冰冻流体和冰与氨对低温火山材料的相互作用为冥王星上泥火山的形成提供了潜在的成分。为了限制新视野号航天器获取的图像中可能出现的形态，我们对泥火山的形成进行了建模，泥火山是由更致密的物质覆盖的均衡冰层，来自一系列可能的固液“泥”成分（甲烷和氨)，以及考虑喷发变量的全部范围（例如，泥浆粘度、管道直径和喷发持续时间）。我们根据顶部冰层的成分和泥浆成分将它们分为九种特定场景。从这些场景中，可以计算出潜在泥火山的最大高度。我们发现，与以甲烷为主的泥浆低温火山相比，氨泥源产生的建筑物高度更小，流动剖面更宽。假设某些初步参数，我们还提出了 Wright Mons 大厦在短短 380 万年时间内的演变和发展，假设氨含量为 10%（重量）的地下泥浆成分。如果在冥王星表面进行表征，泥火山将为冥王星上固体和低温流体的地下动力学提供有趣的见解。