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A salt-water reservoir as the source of a compositionally stratified plume on Enceladus

Author

Listed:
  • F. Postberg

    (Institut für Geowissenschaften, Universität Heidelberg, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
    Max-Planck-Institut für Kernphysik)

  • J. Schmidt

    (Institut für Physik und Astronomie, Universität Potsdam, 14476 Potsdam-Golm, Germany)

  • J. Hillier

    (Planetary and Space Sciences Research Institute, The Open University, Milton Keynes MK7 6AA, UK)

  • S. Kempf

    (Max-Planck-Institut für Kernphysik
    IGEP,Technische Universität Braunschweig, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany
    LASP, University of Colorado)

  • R. Srama

    (Max-Planck-Institut für Kernphysik
    IRS, Universität Stuttgart, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany)

Abstract

Salty origin for the Enceladus plume Saturn's icy moon Enceladus is emitting a plume of water vapour and ice particles from warm fractures near its south pole known as tiger stripes. This plume material is thought to originate either from subsurface liquids or through the decomposition of ice. Postberg et al. report the first measurements of the compositions of freshly ejected particles, carried out by Cassini's dust detector during plume crossings. Salt-rich ice particles are found to dominate the total mass flux of ejected solids (>99%), which suggests that a salt-water reservoir with a large evaporating surface provides nearly all of the matter in the plume.

Suggested Citation

  • F. Postberg & J. Schmidt & J. Hillier & S. Kempf & R. Srama, 2011. "A salt-water reservoir as the source of a compositionally stratified plume on Enceladus," Nature, Nature, vol. 474(7353), pages 620-622, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:474:y:2011:i:7353:d:10.1038_nature10175
    DOI: 10.1038/nature10175
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