Saturn Moon May Have Water

collarian · 07-02-08, 02:14

Astrophysicists in Germany say they can add evidence to bolster theories that water, one of the precious ingredients for life, exists on the Saturnian moon Enceladus.

A tiny satellite measuring just 504 kilometers (315 miles) across, Enceladus has become one of the most fiercely debated objects in the solar system, thanks to close-up pictures taken by the NASA Cassini probe.

Enceladus has a brilliant white shell of ice that is untouched except for some strange-looking grooves and impacts from space rocks.

Cassini revealed plumes of water vapor that gush from surface stripes near its south pole, shooting crystal jets upwards for hundreds of miles into space.

Fuelling discussion about the origin of these strange "cryo-volcanoes" is the fact that icy particles of dust are also mixed in with the eruptions, but beguilingly travel far slower than the vapor.

A team led by Juergen Schmidt of the University of Potsdam, near Berlin, say they can now answer at least this part of the mystery.

Their theory is that water vapor and ice grains are blasted through funnels in the so-called tiger stripes -- and the grains, being heavier, rub against the rough sides of these holes.

The friction slows the particles down, which explains why they travel at a far lower velocity in the void.

For this to happen, though, liquid water would have to exist in equilibrium with ice and vapor beneath the moon's frigid crust, according to the model.

One hypothesis for the cause for Enceladus's cryo-volcanoes is a phenomenon called tidal heating.

The little moon suffers agonising gravitational pull from the giant Saturn and from the nearby satellites of Dione and Janus.

As a result, its interior is squeezed and stretched, causing friction that causes water to warm, this theory goes.

Enceladus has a surface temperature of -193 degrees Celsius (-315 degrees Fahrenheit) and the tiger stripes are -133 C (-207 F), which implies that its interior must be warmer still.

Heat and water are two of the essentials for life as we know it, although anything that exists in Enceladus's presumed sub-surface ocean is likely to be microbial at best, scientists add.

The new study appears on Thursday in Nature, the weekly British science journal.

Maryame Paaeezi · 09-03-08, 16:37

Jaleb bood, merci.

tirdad · 09-03-08, 17:32

mamnoon

beny18 · 09-03-08, 17:41

baba ina hamsayamoon mars o vell kardan raftan soraghe mahe saturn.

Khalvate man · 09-03-08, 18:45

Are to in ehtemale kheili ziadi hast ke dakhelesh oghianos bashe, age injor bashe ogianosesh az oghianose zamin ham amigh tar khahad bod..

07-02-08, 02:14	#1 (permalink)
collarian Neptune Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Mars Posts: 6,867 Credits: 7,713 Thanks: 1,809 Thanked 2,516 Times in 981 Posts	Saturn Moon May Have Water Astrophysicists in Germany say they can add evidence to bolster theories that water, one of the precious ingredients for life, exists on the Saturnian moon Enceladus. A tiny satellite measuring just 504 kilometers (315 miles) across, Enceladus has become one of the most fiercely debated objects in the solar system, thanks to close-up pictures taken by the NASA Cassini probe. Enceladus has a brilliant white shell of ice that is untouched except for some strange-looking grooves and impacts from space rocks. Cassini revealed plumes of water vapor that gush from surface stripes near its south pole, shooting crystal jets upwards for hundreds of miles into space. Fuelling discussion about the origin of these strange "cryo-volcanoes" is the fact that icy particles of dust are also mixed in with the eruptions, but beguilingly travel far slower than the vapor. A team led by Juergen Schmidt of the University of Potsdam, near Berlin, say they can now answer at least this part of the mystery. Their theory is that water vapor and ice grains are blasted through funnels in the so-called tiger stripes -- and the grains, being heavier, rub against the rough sides of these holes. The friction slows the particles down, which explains why they travel at a far lower velocity in the void. For this to happen, though, liquid water would have to exist in equilibrium with ice and vapor beneath the moon's frigid crust, according to the model. One hypothesis for the cause for Enceladus's cryo-volcanoes is a phenomenon called tidal heating. The little moon suffers agonising gravitational pull from the giant Saturn and from the nearby satellites of Dione and Janus. As a result, its interior is squeezed and stretched, causing friction that causes water to warm, this theory goes. Enceladus has a surface temperature of -193 degrees Celsius (-315 degrees Fahrenheit) and the tiger stripes are -133 C (-207 F), which implies that its interior must be warmer still. Heat and water are two of the essentials for life as we know it, although anything that exists in Enceladus's presumed sub-surface ocean is likely to be microbial at best, scientists add. The new study appears on Thursday in Nature, the weekly British science journal. __________________

09-03-08, 16:37	#2 (permalink)
Maryame Paaeezi Triple Ace Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Germany Posts: 211 Credits: 854 Thanks: 182 Thanked 11 Times in 11 Posts	Jaleb bood, merci. __________________ Good Thoughts, good Words and good Deeds

09-03-08, 17:32	#3 (permalink)
tirdad Forum God Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 3,293 Credits: 6,299 Thanks: 1,496 Thanked 1,663 Times in 1,038 Posts	mamnoon __________________ اين شعر نيست خون دهان توست كه بند نمي آيد

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09-03-08, 17:41	#4 (permalink)
beny18 Forum God Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: TORONTO Posts: 2,472 Credits: 2,984 Thanks: 672 Thanked 271 Times in 214 Posts	baba ina hamsayamoon mars o vell kardan raftan soraghe mahe saturn.

09-03-08, 18:45	#5 (permalink)
Khalvate man Forum Ace Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 96 Credits: 388 Thanks: 16 Thanked 38 Times in 18 Posts	Are to in ehtemale kheili ziadi hast ke dakhelesh oghianos bashe, age injor bashe ogianosesh az oghianose zamin ham amigh tar khahad bod..