Saturn’s moon Enceladus

[steve01]

http://www.space.com/imageoftheday/image_of_day_051129.html <br /><br />Just read the article about this moon and they say the "hot spot" on the south pole is approximately 110 degrees Kelvin (-261 degrees Fahrenheit). How could water be liquid at this temperature?

 

[CalliArcale]

Ordinarily, it can't. If there's liquid water, it must be coming out of the interior of Enceladus. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p> </p><p><font color="#666699"><em>"People assume that time is a strict progression of cause to effect, but actually from a non-linear, non-subjective viewpoint it's more like a big ball of wibbly wobbly . . . timey wimey . . . stuff."</em>  -- The Tenth Doctor, "Blink"</font></p> </div>

 

[siriusmre]

Hm. If only there were a celestial model that was comprehensive enough to account for--even predict!--these "surprising" and "puzzling" features on Enceladus...but far be it from me to spout heretical "psuedo-science." <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[vogon13]

My Toro model seems more plausible (to me) every day. Damned if I can get anyone to comment on it, though.<br /><br /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#ff0000"><strong>TPTB went to Dallas and all I got was Plucked !!</strong></font></p><p><font color="#339966"><strong>So many people, so few recipes !!</strong></font></p><p><font color="#0000ff"><strong>Let's clean up this stinkhole !!</strong></font> </p> </div>

 

[jatslo]

"<font color="pink">Ordinarily, it can't. If there's liquid water, it must be coming out of the interior of Enceladus.</font>"<br /><br />I would be more inclined to state that there is insufficient pressure to hold water molecules together for any great length of time, but, if I were suddenly oozed onto the surface at several hundred degrees hot, how far could I travel before I actually freeze solid? Would this freeze include biology?

 

[vogon13]

Suddenly oozed ?<br /><br />Is that like jumbo shrimp or military intelligence ?<br /><br /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#ff0000"><strong>TPTB went to Dallas and all I got was Plucked !!</strong></font></p><p><font color="#339966"><strong>So many people, so few recipes !!</strong></font></p><p><font color="#0000ff"><strong>Let's clean up this stinkhole !!</strong></font> </p> </div>

 

[jatslo]

The Yellowstone geysers are flowing bathtubs of hot water that occasionally get perky; the ultimate Jacuzzi. The tubes are constantly oozing fluid that travels the path of least resistance; until it freezes on cold days. <br /><br />That hot water is on the surface; even at 50-below.

 

[telfrow]

<i>Suddenly oozed? Is that like jumbo shrimp or military intelligence?</i><br /><br /><img src="/images/icons/laugh.gif" /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <strong><font color="#3366ff">Made weak by time and fate, but strong in will to strive, to seek, to find and not to yeild.</font> - <font color="#3366ff"><em>Tennyson</em></font></strong> </div>

 

[jatslo]

How about an intelligent jumbo shrimp with a gravitomagnebeamblaster pointed at your point in space-time?

 

[CalliArcale]

<blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr /><p>I would be more inclined to state that there is insufficient pressure to hold water molecules together for any great length of time, but, if I were suddenly oozed onto the surface at several hundred degrees hot, how far could I travel before I actually freeze solid? Would this freeze include biology?<p><hr /></p></p></blockquote><br /><br />Well, there is obviously solid water on the surface of Enceladus, so water molecules can hold together for a great length of time. <img src="/images/icons/wink.gif" /> Just not in the liquid state. (I know that's what you meant, but for less chemistry-inclined posters, it may be helpful.)<br /><br />It's a good question, though. I know the water dumped by spacecraft freezes almost immediately, resulting in a beautiful shower of ice crystals. And if it's waste water, containing urine, it apparently is even prettier -- urea crystals sparkle nicely, I hear. Some astronauts have jokingly called it "the constellation Urion", and others have played pranks on rookies by telling them to go watch for UFOs and then triggering the wastewater dump. <img src="/images/icons/tongue.gif" /><br /><br />It will be interesting to find out what temperature this plume is. Does it come down like molten lava, or does it come down like snow? <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p> </p><p><font color="#666699"><em>"People assume that time is a strict progression of cause to effect, but actually from a non-linear, non-subjective viewpoint it's more like a big ball of wibbly wobbly . . . timey wimey . . . stuff."</em>  -- The Tenth Doctor, "Blink"</font></p> </div>