[▲ Saturn’s moon Mimas (Credit: NASA / JPL-Caltech / Space Science Institute) taken by the Saturn probe Cassini]
This is a Saturn probe“Cassini”Saturn’s moons taken by“Mimas”is.The big crater that stands out is 130km in diameter.“Herschel”crater. With a diameter of 396 km in Mimas, the Herschel Crater is one-third the size.
The appearance of Mimas with a huge crater is a space fortress that appears in the movie “Star Wars” series“Death Star”It is reminiscent of that, and even NASA, which released the image, mentions the Death Star in the commentary.To such MimasThe existence of an inner sea covered with an ice shell may existThe research results showing that are from the Southwest Research Institute (SwRI).Alyssa RhodenAnd the Institute of Planetary Sciences (PSI)Matthew WalkerWas announced by.
Cassini, who had been exploring Saturn and its moons until September 2017, announced that it was in Mimas at the end of the mission.scaleIt is said that (periodic vibration motion) was detected. Rhoden et al. Warm the internal structure of Mimas and the inside of Mimas inferred from libration.tidal heatingIn order to investigate the relationship ofwe conducted an analysis using a tidal heating model. as a result,The inner sea may exist 24-31 km below the surface of Mimas
Is said to have been shown.
Saturn’s moon Enceladus (Credit: NASA / JPL / Space Science Institute) taken by the Saturn probe Cassini
[▲ Saturn’s moon Enceladus (Credit: NASA / JPL / Space Science Institute) taken by the Saturn probe Cassini]By tidal heatingThe possibility of a vast ocean inside an ice satelliteIs the same moon of Saturn as MimasEnceladusJupiter’s moonsEuropaAnd the moons of NeptuneTritonIt is pointed out in such.These satellites are from the outer shellGeyser (plume)Is active, such as the eruption ofThe surface of the satellite is updated on a geologically short timescale
Is believed to have been.
connection
・ Is it still volcanic activity on the seabed of Jupiter’s moon Europa?Expectations of life
・ How was Enceladus methane produced?Research results examining the processIt has been pointed out that there may be an inner sea in Mimas, but Herschel and others are on the surface.Numerous cratersRemains,Geologically inactiveIt is said that it was thought to be.”We areI was fooled by the surface of Mimas
That’s it. “The result of this time is in various celestial bodies.Life habitabilityIt may give you a better understanding of.EarthIs of the sunHabitable zone
It revolves around (a region where liquid water can exist on the surface of rocky planets such as the Earth), and even in extraterrestrial life exploration targeting extraterrestrial planets where nearly 5,000 have been found so far, the main star Planets that appear to be revolving in the habitable zone are attracting attention.On the other hand, in recent yearsOutside the habitable zoneLike Europa and Enceladus inThe possibility of an inner sea on the ice satelliteIs emerging.Also, it does not revolve around the starRogue planets(Floating planets, stray planets)That satelliteEven so, due to the decay heat of radioactive elements and tidal heatingThe presence of liquid water on the surface
The range of celestial bodies in which life may live continues to expand.Rhoden said, “If there is a sea in Mimas, it is a new type of small, which does not seem to indicate the existence of the sea on the surface.“Hidden” marine objectsMeans that there is. “” Our new understanding isDefinition of potentially habitable celestial bodies
Will be greatly expanded inside and outside the solar system. “
Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Space Science Institute
Source: Southwest Institute
Sentence / Takehiro Matsumura
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