Other
Scientific paper
Sep 2009
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2009dps....41.6402p&link_type=abstract
American Astronomical Society, DPS meeting #41, #64.02
Other
Scientific paper
Compositional measurements by Cassini's dust detector (CDA) of ice particles emitted from Saturn's active moon Enceladus into the E ring are presented. Our detection of sodium salts within the grains provides evidence for mineral enriched liquid water deep below the moon's icy surface (Postberg et al., Nature 2009).
In nearly all particles we found sodium (Na) in varying concentrations. Most spectra also show potassium (K) in lower abundance. In particles that are particularly sodium rich, sodium salts (like NaCl and NaHCO3) are identified as Na bearing components. This is only plausible if the plume source is liquid water that is or has been linked to an ocean in contact with the rocky material of Enceladus' core. The abundance of minerals as well as the inferred basic pH of those grains exhibit a compelling similarity with the predicted composition of an Enceladus ocean (Zolotov, GRL 2007). The Na-rich ice particles expelled through the plumes into the E ring are frozen droplets of a salt-water reservoir possibly still in contact with a large ocean.
Together with recent measurement of Enceladian plume vapor by Cassini-INMS (Waite et al., Nature 2009) and Earth bound spectroscopy (Schneider et al., Nature 2009), a detailed compositional picture of both gas and solid phases of the plume is at hand for the first time. The results provide strict constraints for plume models which have to include gas and grain production as well as their subsequent ejection into the E ring. The observations now produce a consistent picture of plume mechanics based on evaporation of liquid water as the main plume driver but also involving other processes. Violently erupting geysers from water in the cracks close to the surface can be ruled out, whereas large evaporating water surfaces deep below the ice crust provide the most plausible scenarios.
Abel Benjamin
Beinsen Alexander
Brilliantov Nikolai
Buck U.
Kempf Sascha
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