Liquid Water on Enceladus

[robnissen]

This article points to more evidence of liquid water on Enceladus:<br /><br />http://www.saturndaily.com/reports/Case_builds_for_water_on_Saturn_moon_999.html<br /><br />The most interesting part of the article:<br /><br /><font color="yellow">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 vapour.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />Their theory is that water vapour 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.<br /><br />The friction slows the particles down, which explains why they travel at a far lower velocity in the void.<br /><br />For this to happen, though, liquid water would have to exist in equilibrium with ice and vapour beneath the moon's frigid crust, according to the model<br /></font><br /><br />All I want for Christmas is my two front teeth AND a lander near the southern pole of Enceladus.

 

[alokmohan]

Fad of nasa to tempt us to get out.

 

[silylene old]

This should be added to the huge "Enceladus the Europa of Saturn" thread, not start a new thread.<br /><br />p.s. in this thread you will find I predicted this, in 2005 from some thermal mapping of its southern hemisphere, before we even knew of water fountains . <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>

 

[h2ouniverse]

Great (refreshing <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" /> ) development! Especially after the ptolemaic epicycles built by the anti-water camp.<br /><br />This year will be rich in articles on Europa, Ganymede, Titan and Enceladus as Jupiter and Saturn compete with each other for hosting the next Outer Planet flagship (in both NASA and ESA).