Mathematics – Logic
Scientific paper
Dec 2009
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2009agufm.p41c..01k&link_type=abstract
American Geophysical Union, Fall Meeting 2009, abstract #P41C-01
Mathematics
Logic
[6020] Planetary Sciences: Comets And Small Bodies / Ices, [6063] Planetary Sciences: Comets And Small Bodies / Volcanism, [6280] Planetary Sciences: Solar System Objects / Saturnian Satellites, [6299] Planetary Sciences: Solar System Objects / General Or Miscellaneous
Scientific paper
One of the exciting discoveries of the spectacular Cassini mission from 2006 to the present is the geologic activity on Enceladus, the tiny frigid moon of Saturn. There are broadly four groups of salient observations: shape and orbital parameters, thermal radiation, the south polar plume dynamics and composition, and the geology and tectonic history, especially of the south polar terrain itself. These observations have given rise to a controversy about the implied interior conditions of Enceladus. Are the products (gases, ice and dust) seen in the plumes indicative of processes occurring at present, in which case they are samples of ongoing chemical and physical processes in the interior? Or, are current processes regurgitating products produced by reactions in the distant past? Are there shallow pockets of water? Shallow seas? Deep oceans? Or, is it an frigid ice ball? These different models lead to radically different conclusions--with direct implications about whether or not conditions are suitable for astrobiology exploration of Enceladus. One end-member model, “Cold Faithful”, leads to the conclusion that the interior is warm and contains liquid water. The other end member model, “Frigid Faithful”, leads to the conclusion that the interior is a frozen mass of icy clathrates. Other models lie between these two extremes. In this talk, I'll review the status of the controversy.
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