Considered heat sources/sinks and salinity/temperature forcings in our Enceladus experiments. (A) Primary heat sources and heat fluxes, including heating due to tidal dissipation in ice ℋice and the silicate core ℋcenterheat flux from ocean to ice ℋocn, and the heat loss by conduction to space ℋcond. Ocean heat transport is shown by the horizontal arrow. (B) Observed thickness of the ice shell of Enceladus (18) (black solid curve, left y-axis). The suppression of the freezing point of water by these thickness variations, relative to zero pressure, is indicated by the left outer y-axis. The gray dashed curve shows the rate of freezing (positive) and melting (negative) required to maintain a steady state based on an inverted shallow ice flow model (y-axis to the right). (C) The density of water varies with temperature near the freezing point (marked by circles) for different assumed salinities. Going from cold to warm colors denotes an increase in salinity. The solid (dashed) curves are calculated assuming the pressure under the 26.5 km (5.6 km) of ice at the equator (south pole). (D) Typical magnitudes and profiles of ℋiceℋcenterℋcondand ℋlatent. Credit: Progress of science (2022). DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abm4665
ice and the silicate core â„‹nucleusthe heat flux from the ocean to the ice â„‹ocn, and the heat loss by conduction to space â„‹cond. Ocean heat transport is shown by the horizontal arrow. (B) Observed thickness of the ice shell of Enceladus (18) (black solid curve, left y-axis). The suppression of the freezing point of water by these thickness variations, relative to zero pressure, is indicated by the left outer y-axis. The gray dashed curve shows the rate of freezing (positive) and melting (negative) required to maintain a steady state based on an inverted shallow ice flow model (y-axis to the right). (C) The density of water varies with temperature near the freezing point (marked by circles) for different assumed salinities. Going from cold to warm colors denotes an increase in salinity. The solid (dashed) curves are calculated assuming the pressure under the 26.5 km (5.6 km) of ice at the equator (south pole). (D) Typical magnitudes and profiles of â„‹iceâ„‹nucleusâ„‹cond and â„‹latent. Credit: Science Advances (2022). DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abm4665″ width=”800″ height=”396″/>
A team of MIT researchers has found through theoretical modeling that the salinity of the oceans on Saturn’s moon Enceladus may be just right to support life. In his article published in the journal Progress of science, the group describes the factors that went into building their model and the features of Enceladus that were used to measure the salinity of its oceans.
Combined data from the Cassini and Galileo missions showed that Saturn’s moon Enceladus and Jupiter’s moon Europa have the potential to satisfy three of the main features thought to be necessary to support life on other planets. celestial bodies: they have an energy source, they have Liquid water and they have a mix of chemicals that previous research has shown are likely necessary for life. Geyser-like sprays from fissures near Enceladus’ south pole are expected to provide an opportunity to learn more about the chemistry and dynamics of the ocean thought to exist beneath the moon’s icy shell. Meanwhile, space scientists continue to analyze data from probes that have passed close to the two moons to determine if either could support life. In this new effort, the researchers used data from both probes to better understand the nature of oceans trapped beneath icy layers.
Enceladus appears almost pure white in photographs due to a layer of ice that covers its entire surface. But the ice has cracks and crevices, some with jets of water escaping to the surface. Previous researchers have suggested that such water may contain organic material that could support life. To learn more about the ocean beneath the ice, the researchers created a theoretical model, based on data from Cassini and previous work that involved studying ice formation in orbs using data on ocean currentsice geometry and ocean salinity.
The model suggested that saltier oceans should correspond to thicker ice at the poles and less salty oceans to thinner ice at the poles. Cassini data have already shown that the ice above Enceladus’ equator is thinner than the ice at its equator, suggesting that the salinity of the ocean beneath the ice on the moon is low, perhaps as low as 30 grams per kilogram. of water. For comparison, the salinity of Earth’s oceans is about 35 grams per kilogram of water. the model also showed possible stream flow patterns under the ice based on temperature variations and possible evidence of heat vents on the ocean floor.
Wanying Kang et al, How does salinity shape ocean circulation and ice geometry on Enceladus and other icy satellites?, Progress of science (2022). DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abm4665
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Citation: Theoretical model suggests Enceladus’ ocean salinity may be adequate to support life (July 25, 2022) Retrieved July 25, 2022 at https://phys.org/news/2022-07-theoretical -saltiness-enceladus-oceans-sustain.html
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