Yes mountains. But these mountains do not necessarily penetrate the ice layer. According to my theory, they do not penetrate the ice layer ( so they do not rest on the rocky surface below either).
Thank you for this MIT link. I can go along with an "ocean" under the ice layer. It is most likely that if there is a liquid ocean, then there is a separation filled with atmospheric gases between the ocean and ice. It could be 100 meters to 1 km or more. So it is not the case that the ice layer would be close enough to the ocean for waves to lick the bottom of it, much less put pressure on it.
On the other hand, it is hard to see how a small moon-like object could maintain high enough temperatures needed for liquid ocean when it has been constantly in a setting of temperatures close to absolute zero (Kelvin scale) for a long time. In statistical mechanics (physics), the idea is that the random kinetic motion associated with temperature "travels" from hot to cold. So we would expect any warmth from the center to eventually seep out towards the surface of the ice layer where it is -229 degrees Celsius.
Alohascope wrote:
Like earth's moon Pluto's moons cause tides and currents which cause waves in Pluto's ocean.
Those waves move in straight lines and curved lines both towards and out from the ice mountains
http://www.coastal.udel.edu/ngs/waves.html
Pluto and Charon constantly present the same face to each other, which is unlike Earth and the Moon. The part of the Earth's surface that faces the Moon changes; thus, the bulge that the Moon causes travels across the surface of the globe along with the Moon. [Refer to the Wikipedia article on "Tide".] This does not happen with Pluto and Charon, and the other moons of Plato are not big enough to cause the effect that you propose.
The ice layer acts as a kind of thermal layer to contain any available heat underneath. So if the ocean was in liquid form at the time your proposed phenomenon occurred --- which is a big if --- there would be no storms to create the waves you propose, as well as no tides. There just are not the mechanisms to cause a wave refraction pattern on the scale that you propose. (or at least none identified so far)
Alohascope wrote:According to different elevations of rock or whatever lies on the bottom of the saltwater ocean the height of the waves create pressure, more or less, on the bottom surface of the frozen nitrogen. That pressure plus the relative warmth of the salt water creates warmth in the frozen nitrogen, and as in heat from a frying pan heating pancake batter releases bubbles of carbon dioxide, the pits are melted pockets of nitrogen which 'pop' open into pits.
I think that your idea here is interesting. So the warmth below the ice layer somehow causes pockets of gas to migrate to the outer surface where it finally escapes into space leaving behind a pock mark. I think we'd have to look at the physics of pancake bubbles to understand whether such a phenomenon could apply to Pluto's ice. Did you know that scientists study gas bubbles in old ice on Earth in order to learn about the ancient atmosphere? So what we are used to is bubbles staying trapped in ice even if warmth is introduced nearby.
It seemed in the thread for Dec 14, that you wanted some feedback. I hope that this helps.
I wish you would be more respectful to Geckzilla, Chris P. and Nitpicker. We are fortunate to get their attention at all. And I have found them to be very fair. Please do not vent your frustration. This forum is more accomodating then it could be. Please keep in mind that time is a precious, scarce resource for all participants and there are so many competing demands for it (a person's time).
On another note, if you enjoy thinking about alternate theories, maybe you'd like to check out mine. It is presented via a booklet "The Birth of the Earth" available on Amazon and there is a place for discussion via a blog on ContinentalCataclysm.com/birthoftheearth