Surface, Subsurface and Atmosphere Exchanges on the Satellites of the Outer Solar System

Details Surface, Subsurface and Atmosphere Exchanges on the Satellites of the Outer Solar System Surface, Subsurface and Atmosphere Exchanges on the Satellites of the Outer Solar System

Jun 2010

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2010ssrv..153..375t&link_type=abstract

Space Science Reviews, Volume 153, Issue 1-4, pp. 375-410

Physics

7

Subsurface, Surface, Atmosphere, Icy Moons

Scientific paper

The surface morphology of icy moons is affected by several processes implicating exchanges between their subsurfaces and atmospheres (if any). The possible exchange of material between the subsurface and the surface is mainly determined by the mechanical properties of the lithosphere, which isolates the deep, warm and ductile ice material from the cold surface conditions. Exchanges through this layer occur only if it is sufficiently thin and/or if it is fractured owing to tectonic stresses, melt intrusion or impact cratering. If such conditions are met, cryomagma can be released, erupting fresh volatile-rich materials onto the surface. For a very few icy moons (Titan, Triton, Enceladus), the emission of gas associated with cryovolcanic activity is sufficiently large to generate an atmosphere, either long-lived or transient. For those moons, atmosphere-driven processes such as cryovolcanic plume deposition, phase transitions of condensable materials and wind interactions continuously re-shape their surfaces, and are able to transport cryovolcanically generated materials on a global scale. In this chapter, we discuss the physics of these different exchange processes and how they affect the evolution of the satellites’ surfaces.

Affiliated with

Also associated with

No associations

Rating

Surface, Subsurface and Atmosphere Exchanges on the Satellites of the Outer Solar System 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 Surface, Subsurface and Atmosphere Exchanges on the Satellites of the Outer Solar System, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Surface, Subsurface and Atmosphere Exchanges on the Satellites of the Outer Solar System will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-1598314