Ammonia on Enceladus

Details Ammonia on Enceladus Ammonia on Enceladus

Sep 2009

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2009dps....41.6105m&link_type=abstract

American Astronomical Society, DPS meeting #41, #61.05

Astronomy and Astrophysics

Astronomy

Scientific paper

We have analyzed VIMS spectra of Enceladus for the presence of ammonia, NH3. We used a correlation detection method to search for the main NH3 band near 2.9 μm, producing a subset of data with a feature near 2.9 μm. Since this band is near a VIMS filter overlap and the saturated H2O 3 μm band, we also manually searched the data for absorptions near 1.9 and 2.2 μm. The appearance of bands near 2 μm was well correlated with the band near 2.9 μm and an unidentified band near 3.5 μm. The strength of these bands was compared to laboratory measurements of NH3 diluted in H2O. The NH3 band was found predominantly on the south pole where the strongest absorptions were found near, but not on, the tiger stripes. Recent Cassini INMS results indicate the presence of NH3 in the plumes coming from the tiger stripes. NH3 decomposes quickly under radiation, so the presence of NH3 indicates a young surface, possibly a fresh plume deposit.

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