Mimas' Interior Models, Prospects For Constraining Enceladus' Thermal Evolution

Details Mimas' Interior Models, Prospects For Constraining Enceladus' Thermal Evolution Mimas' Interior Models, Prospects For Constraining Enceladus' Thermal Evolution

Sep 2006

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2006dps....38.6903j&link_type=abstract

American Astronomical Society, DPS meeting #38, #69.03; Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, Vol. 38, p.621

Mathematics

Logic

1

Scientific paper

We present new models of Mimas based on the latest geophysical constraints from Cassini-Huygens, especially shape measurements (Thomas et al., LPS 37, 2006). These models differ in their initial conditions and early history, e.g., volatile composition, short-lived radionuclide content, and especially the maximum temperature reached by their surface as a result of Saturn's luminosity. We test several scenarios for this latter parameter, which is poorly constrained. This parameter space yields models that today have interiors that range from those that (a) have zero-porosity, (b) are partially differentiated, and (c) are highly-porous and undifferentiated. Several models can account for the shape observations. However we discover that when Mimas reaches synchronous rotation that Saturn heats Mimas' hemispheres by different amounts and that this is a potential source of large non-hydrostatic anomalies that could impede accurate interpretation of the shape data.
Among the models that match the shape, we search for the ones that can explain Mimas' present dynamical state. We compute this evolution with coupled thermal-dynamical models. In the absence of constraints for the dissipative properties of the satellite, we let the ratio k2/Q range between 10^-8 and 1. We find a range of k2/Q that can explain the available observations. This provides us with the first constraints on the dissipation factor of a cold body such as Mimas.
The Mimas results provide us with a basis for modeling Enceladus. Assumptions about the ice frequency-dependent properties, a critical unknown for icy satellite models, must apply to both Mimas and Enceladus, so that the striking difference between the two bodies can now be explained in a logical, self-consistent framework.
This work was performed at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory-California Institute of Technology under contract to NASA.

Affiliated with

Also associated with

No associations

Rating

Mimas' Interior Models, Prospects For Constraining Enceladus' Thermal Evolution 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 Mimas' Interior Models, Prospects For Constraining Enceladus' Thermal Evolution, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Mimas' Interior Models, Prospects For Constraining Enceladus' Thermal Evolution will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-1078176