卡西尼号观测了恩塞拉多斯的活跃南极
C C Porco1, P Helfenstein, P C Thomas
1Cassini Imaging Central Laboratory for Operations, Space Science Institute, 4750 Walnut Street, Suite 205, Boulder, CO 80301, USA. carolyn@ciclops.org
概括
卡西尼号在恩塞拉多的南极发现了一个地质活跃的区域. 这个区域的特点是年轻的地形,高温和冰的喷气为土星的E环提供供应,可能来自地下液态水.
科学领域:
- 行星科学 行星科学
- 天体生物学 天体生物学
- 地质地质地质地质地质地
背景情况:
- 土星的第六大卫星恩塞拉多斯表现出独特的地质活动.
- 以前的观测暗示了地下活动,但详细的绘图是有限的.
研究的目的:
- 为了识别和描述位于恩塞拉多斯南极的地质活跃地区.
- 为了调查提供土星E环的冰冷粒子喷射的来源.
主要方法:
- 来自卡西尼影像科学子系统 (ISS) 的高分辨率图像的分析.
- 在活性区域内检查白度,颜色,温度和表面特征.
主要成果:
- 确定一个独特的省份在约55度南度,由山脊和谷.
- 地形的特征与对比的白色/颜色,高温,和年轻的地质特征.
- 观测狭窄的构造裂与粗粒度的冰和最热的测量温度.
- 证实了供应土星E环的冰喷流起源于这个省份,由地下液态水库的水蒸气驱动.
结论:
- 恩塞拉多的南极地区是一个地质活跃的区域,有证据表明最近的浮出水面和地下液态水.
- 观测到的特征和现象支持了关于恩塞拉多表面下海洋的假设.
- 月球的形状暗示了过去的强烈加热事件,可能与轨道共振有关.
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