Enceladus Focus Group

Following on the recent Cassini discoveries of geysers, organics, and excess heat emanating from the south polar terrain of Enceladus, and the exciting implications of these findings for possible subterranean chambers of liquid water, we are forming an Enceladus Focus group to begin a community-wide conversation about this fascinating moon.

The goal is to provide a forum devoted to the dissemination and in- depth discussion of recent Enceladus observations, and their bearing on the interior/thermal structure and history, geologic history, chemistry, geyser mechanisms, and other physical properties and processes, all with an eye towards examining Enceladus as a body of astrobiological interest and a target for future planetary exploration.

This group will also consider the questions:

What future observations should be made with Cassini in its extended mission that would be useful for astrobiological investigations?

What should be the goals and mission scenarios of future robotic exploration of Enceladus?

If you are interested in being a part of this discussion, please send an email to

majordomo at ciclops.org

with the following in the body of the email:

subscribe EnceladusFocus

This will put you on an email list, which is the first step. If there is sufficient interest, the plan would be to hold our inaugural meeting at the upcoming October DPS meeting.

We hope you join us.

Carolyn Porco, CICLOPS/Space Science Institute, Boulder, CO
Chris McKay, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA