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Pluto's surface is geologically complex because of volatile ices that aremobile on seasonal and longer time scales. Here we analyzed New Horizons LEISAspectral data to globally map the nitrogen ice, including nitrogen with methanediluted in it. Our goal was to learn about the seasonal processes influencingice redistribution, to calculate the globally averaged energy balance, and toplace a lower limit on Pluto's N2 inventory. We present the average latitudinaldistribution of nitrogen and investigate the relationship between itsdistribution and topography on Pluto by using maps that include the shiftedbands of methane in solid solution with nitrogen to more completely map thedistribution of the nitrogen ice. We find that the global average bolometricalbedo is 0.83 +\- 0.11, similar to that inferred for Triton, and that asignificant fraction of Pluto's N2 is stored in Sputnik Planitia. Under theassumption that Pluto's nitrogen-dominated 11.5 microbar atmosphere is in vaporpressure equilibrium with the nitrogen ice, the ice temperature is 36.93 +/-0.10 K, as measured by New Horizons. Combined with our global energy balancecalculation, this implies that the average bolometric emissivity of Pluto'snitrogen ice is probably in the range 0.47 - 0.72. This is consistent with thelow emissivities estimated for Triton based on Voyager, and may haveimplications for Pluto's atmospheric seasonal variations, as discussed below.The global pattern of volatile transport at the time of the encounter was fromnorth to south, and the transition between condensation and sublimation withinSputnik Planitia is correlated with changes in the grain size and CH4concentration derived from the spectral maps. The low emissivity of Pluto's N2ice suggests that Pluto's atmosphere may undergo an extended period of constantpressure even as Pluto recedes from the Sun in its orbit.

Distribution and Energy Balance of Pluto's Nitrogen Ice, as seen by New Horizons in 2015