Enceladus Archives

Zonal-mean temperature (T, a), salinity anomaly (S, b), and potential density anomaly (ρσ, with reference pressure near the ocean surface, c) in the quasi-equilibrium state of all simulations. The first to the fourth columns are results of the high salinity simulation with high horizontal diffusivity (HSh), high salinity simulation with low horizontal diffusivity (HSl), low salinity simulation with high horizontal diffusivity (LSh), and low salinity simulation with low horizontal diffusivity (LSl), respectively. In (a1) & (a2), the contour interval is 0.01 ◦C below -2.14 ◦C and 0.001 ◦C above -2.14 ◦C. In (a3) & (a4), the contour interval is 0.01 ◦C below -0.6 ◦C and 0.2 ◦C above -0.6 ◦C. In (b1) & (b2), a reference salinity of 34.97 g kg−1 is subtracted, and the contour interval is 10−3 g kg−1 . In (b3) & (b4), a reference salinity of 8.45 g kg−1 is subtracted, and the contour interval is 5×10−4 g kg−1 . In (c1) & (c2), a reference density of 1029.13 kg m−3 is subtracted, and the contour interval is 10−3 kg m−3 below 5 × 10−3 kg m−3 and 3 × 10−4 kg m−3 above 5×10−3 kg m−3 . In (c3) & (c4), a reference density of 1007.7 kg m−3 is subtracted, and the contour interval is 10−3 kg m−3 below -10−2 kg m−3 and 5 × 10−3 kg m−3 above -10−2 kg m−3 --- astro-ph.EP

Astrogeology, Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Enceladus, Icy Worlds, Status Report, Water/Hycean Worlds & Oceanography

The Effect Of Salinity On Ocean Circulation And Ice-ocean Interaction On Enceladus

by Keith CowingJune 16, 2023June 16, 2023

Observational data suggest that the ice shell on Enceladus is thicker at the equator than at the pole, indicating an equator-to-pole ice flow.

CDA cation spectrum co-added from nine baseline-corrected individual ice grain spectra. - The mass lines signifying a high-salinity Type 3 spectrum are Na+ (23 u) and (NaOH)Na+ (63 u) with secondary Na-rich signatures of (H2O)Na+ (41 u) and Na2+ (46 u). Sodium phosphates are represented by phosphate-bearing Na-cluster cations, with (Na3PO4)Na+ (187 u) possessing the highest amplitude in each spectrum followed by (Na2HPO4)Na+ (165 u) and (NaPO3)Na+ (125 u). The first two unlabelled peaks at the beginning of the spectrum are H+ and C+, stemming from target contamination39. a.u., arbitrary units. -- Nature/NASA

Astrochemistry, Astrogeology, Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Enceladus, Habitable Zones, Icy Worlds, Press Release, Water/Hycean Worlds & Oceanography

Cassini Data Reveals Building Block for Life in Enceladus’ Ocean

by Keith CowingJune 15, 2023June 16, 2023

Using data collected by NASA’s Cassini mission, an international team of scientists has discovered phosphorus – an essential chemical element for life – locked inside salt-rich ice grains ejected into […]

Simulations of the 2:1 mean-motion resonance crossing between the coorbitals Janus and Epimetheus and Enceladus using simpl. Enceladus and Dione were assumed to be on their current orbits, while Janus and Epimetheus were shifted inward. In the left-hand side panels Janus and Epimetheus were in their current horseshoe configuration, while they were put in a tadpole (Trojan) configuration in the right-hand panels. The coorbitals’ orbits are expanding due to an artificial acceleration meant to represent ring torques. We used k2/Q = 0.01 for Enceladus, and we ignored satellite tides for the coorbitals. -- astro-ph.EP

Atmospheres, Climate, Weather, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Enceladus, Icy Worlds, Status Report, Water/Hycean Worlds & Oceanography

A Past Episode of Rapid Tidal Evolution of Enceladus?

by Keith CowingJune 14, 2023October 7, 2025

Saturn possesses a dynamically rich system containing numerous moons and impressive rings. Whether the rings of Saturn are much younger than the planet itself has been a long-open question; more […]

SwRI Lead Scientist Dr. Christopher Glein was part of a team that found phosphorus, a key building block for life, from the subsurface ocean of Saturn’s small moon, Enceladus. Liquid water erupts from the moon’s subsurface ocean, forming a plume that contains grains of frozen ocean water. Some of these ice grains go on to form Saturn’s E ring. The team analyzed Cassini spacecraft data from ice grains in the E ring, which revealed fingerprints of soluble phosphate salts from Enceladus’ ocean. Credit: Courtesy of SwRI and Freie Universität Berlin

Astrochemistry, Atmospheres, Climate, Weather, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Enceladus, Icy Worlds, Press Release, Water/Hycean Worlds & Oceanography

Phosphorus – A Key Building Block For life – Found On Enceladus

by Keith CowingJune 14, 2023June 14, 2023

The search for extraterrestrial life in our solar system just got more exciting. A team of scientists including Southwest Research Institute’s Dr. Christopher Glein has discovered new evidence that the […]

Images from the NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope’s NIRCam (Near-Infrared Camera) show a water vapour plume jetting from the south pole of Saturn’s moon Enceladus, extending out 40 times the size of the moon itself. The inset, an image from the Cassini orbiter, emphasises how small Enceladus appears in the Webb image compared to the water plume. — ESA/NASA

Astrogeology, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Enceladus, Icy Worlds, Press Release, Water/Hycean Worlds & Oceanography

JWST Molecular Mapping And Characterization Of Enceladus’ Water Plume Feeding Its Torus

by Keith CowingMay 31, 2023May 31, 2023

Enceladus is a prime target in the search for life in our solar system, having an active plume likely connected to a large liquid water subsurface ocean.

NASA/ESA/CSA's James Webb Space Telescope’s exquisite sensitivity and highly specialised instruments are revealing details into how one of Saturn’s moon’s feeds the water supply for the entire system of the ringed planet. Larger image -- ESA/NASA

Astrochemistry, Astrogeology, Astronomy & Telescopes, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Enceladus, Icy Worlds, Press Release, Water/Hycean Worlds & Oceanography

Webb Space Telescope Maps Surprisingly Large Plume Jetting From Saturn’s Moon Enceladus

by Keith CowingMay 30, 2023May 30, 2023

A water vapour plume from Saturn’s moon Enceladus spanning more than 9600 kilometres — long enough to stretch across the Eurasian continent from Ireland to Japan — has been detected […]

Analog Studies, Arctic / Antarctic / Alpine, Away Teams & Field Reports, Europa, Exploration Gear & Tech, Icy Worlds, Microgravity, Robotics/Rovers/UAVs, ROVs/Submersibles/Diving, Status Report, Water/Hycean Worlds & Oceanography

Away Team Update: DLR TRIPLE-IceCraft Expedition To Antarctica – Final System Tests And Completion Of Preparations For Drilling – Part 4

by Keith CowingMarch 16, 2023March 17, 2023

Soon it will be time for the big test of our TRIPLE-IceCraft probe, which is to melt its way through the almost 100-metre-thick ice shelf north of Neumayer Station III. […]

View of our container from Neumayer Station, the antenna dome (radome) and the Polar 5 aircraft Credit: DLR/RWTH Aachen/Dirk Heinen

Analog Studies, Arctic / Antarctic / Alpine, Away Teams & Field Reports, Cryobiology, Enceladus, Europa, Exploration Gear & Tech, Icy Worlds, Microbiology & Virology, Planetary Protection & Biosafety, Robotics/Rovers/UAVs, ROVs/Submersibles/Diving, Status Report, Water/Hycean Worlds & Oceanography

Enceladus

The Effect Of Salinity On Ocean Circulation And Ice-ocean Interaction On Enceladus

Cassini Data Reveals Building Block for Life in Enceladus’ Ocean

A Past Episode of Rapid Tidal Evolution of Enceladus?

Phosphorus – A Key Building Block For life – Found On Enceladus

JWST Molecular Mapping And Characterization Of Enceladus’ Water Plume Feeding Its Torus

Webb Space Telescope Maps Surprisingly Large Plume Jetting From Saturn’s Moon Enceladus

Away Team Update: DLR TRIPLE-IceCraft Expedition To Antarctica – Final System Tests And Completion Of Preparations For Drilling – Part 4

Away Team Update: DLR TRIPLE-IceCraft Expedition To Antarctica Part 3

Away Team Update: DLR TRIPLE-IceCraft Expedition To Antarctica Part 2

Away Team Update: DLR TRIPLE-IceCraft Expedition To Antarctica Part 1

Astrobiologist Dale Andersen’s Antarctic Field Report: 11 November 2026: Weather Update And Forecast

Astrobiologist Dale Andersen’s Antarctic Field Report: 10 November 2026: Weather Update Forecast

Dispersal of Bacterial Spores Away From Spacecraft on the Martian Surface is Unlikely to Contaminate Subsequent Life-detection Samples

From Exo-Earth Detection to Atmospheric Characterization: Enabling Phase-Dependent Molecular Detection SNR in EXOSIMS

Ancient Rocks Reveal When Earth’s Tectonic Engine Switched On