Ice on Comet Tempel 1

[siriusmre]

Just curious: What makes the "high-density off-center nucleus" hypothesis as the cause of Enceladus's heating a "realistic possibility" if proposing it only creates an equally vexing problem; <i>i.e.</i>, "how did Enceladus come to have an off-center nucleus?" Also, how would colliding with another celestial body have achieved this? Has anyone ever seen anything like that happen anywhere? <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[bonzelite]

^^^ they're basing these guesses on prior models of causation. it is very expected. <br /><br />in my opinion, no prior models can equate what Enceladus is. it is in the "we have no idea" category.

 

[siriusmre]

I agree with you and would add that there is one "prior model" that accounts for what's going on on Enceladus (and Io, among others) quite nicely. The problem is that most people do not want to believe that it is scientifically possible... <img src="/images/icons/rolleyes.gif" /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[silylene old]

<font color="yellow">how did Enceladus come to have an off-center nucleus?" </font><br /><br />Answer 1: I don't know.<br />Answer 2: We also don't know that Enceladus has an off-center nucleus.<br /><br />I offered this hypothesis because I think it is the simplest explanation for the observed hotspots. I don't know that it is correct!<br /><br />I hope that detailed trajectory observations of close passes to Enceladus might detect whether this moon's mass is not spherically symmetric.<br /><br />Finally I note that the Moon's nucleus is off-centered slightly, and a bit non-spherical, presumably the result of ancient massive asteroid strikes. The moon also has subsurface plascons which create locally unsymmetric gravitational fields. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature" align="center"><em><font color="#0000ff">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -</font></em> </div><div class="Discussion_UserSignature" align="center"><font color="#0000ff"><em>I really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function.</em></font> </div> </div>