Mathematics – Logic
Scientific paper
Feb 2010
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2010natge...3...88o&link_type=abstract
Nature Geoscience, Volume 3, Issue 2, pp. 88-91 (2010).
Mathematics
Logic
7
Scientific paper
The Saturnian satellite Enceladus is enigmatic in that its geologically active south polar region shows high heat flows and geysers not seen elsewhere on the satellite at present; its heavily deformed surface shows an episodic age distribution; and the current observed heat loss exceeds the long-term tidal equilibrium heat production by a factor of at least 3.5 (ref. 3). These observations, which are not explained by existing convection models for Enceladus, suggest episodically active tectonism. Here we present scaled numerical convection models of Enceladus's ice mantle, and show that all three observations are explained if convection is in a regime that involves occasional catastrophic overturns lasting about 10million years, during which portions of the rigid ice lid are recycled into the interior, causing transiently enhanced heat loss. Our models show that episodic partial lid recycling occurs for plausible lid strengths and Enceladus's estimated supply of tidal energy. The localized nature of such overturn episodes, their periodicity of 0.1-1billion years and an anomalous heat flow during these episodes are consistent with Enceladus's geology and heat supply. We propose that localized catastrophic overturn events may also explain the episodic partial resurfacing that has been inferred for other satellites, such as Ganymede, Rhea and Miranda.
Nimmo Francis
O'Neill Craig
No associations
LandOfFree
The role of episodic overturn in generating the surface geology and heat flow on Enceladus does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this scientific paper.
If you have personal experience with The role of episodic overturn in generating the surface geology and heat flow on Enceladus, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and The role of episodic overturn in generating the surface geology and heat flow on Enceladus will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-1105262