Small icy moons in the outer parts of our solar system might have hidden boiling oceans beneath their surfaces. A recent study highlights this exciting possibility.
Previously, researchers found that moons like Saturn’s Enceladus aren’t just solid ice. They may contain vast oceans between their icy shells and rocky cores. Considering that life on Earth thrives where there’s water, scientists are hopeful these hidden oceans could be prime spots for finding extraterrestrial life.
Geophysicist Maxwell Rudolph from the University of California, Davis, studied the forces acting on these moons. He explored how changes in the thickness of their icy surfaces might create cracks. These cracks could connect to the subsurface ocean, potentially allowing liquid water to escape into space.
In earlier studies, Rudolph’s team examined what happens when the ice shells thicken. Thickening ice creates pressure, forming unique features on moons like Enceladus, often referred to as “tiger stripes.” However, this new research looks at scenarios where these icy shells thin out due to melting from beneath.
For example, past findings suggest that a wobble in Saturn’s moon Mimas might indicate hidden water beneath its icy crust. This ocean likely formed in the last 10 million years as interactions with other moons caused melting.
Researchers discovered that if the ice shells thin, they reduce the pressure on the oceans. On smaller moons like Mimas and Enceladus, this pressure could drop to a point where ice, liquid water, and water vapor all coexist. When this happens, boiling can occur at lower temperatures, around freezing. This means any possible life beneath could remain unaffected.
On larger moons, however, like Titania, the scenario shifts. The ice shell would crack before reaching that boiling point. The results could lead to interesting geological features, like wrinkle ridges, which may tell us about its past.
As these oceans boil, gases could escape and create unique icy formations known as clathrates. Understanding what happens to these gases could offer more insight into the moons’ environments and any potential surface changes.
For more detailed findings on this topic, you can check out their research published in Nature Astronomy. This study opens up new discussions about the potential for life in our solar system and the fascinating environments that may lie hidden beneath the ice.
