forced librations Archives - Astrobiology

Illustration of the tidal action between a planet (Saturn) and its moon (Enceladus). Enceladus moves on a synchronized elliptical orbit, which makes its instantaneous orbital speed vary. At its closest point to Saturn, Enceladus rotates slower than it orbits, so the raised tide lies slightly behind the Enceladus-Saturn (dashed) line in the direction of Enceladus’s rotation. At its most distant point to Saturn, the opposite is true. As a result, the raised tide performs tiny oscillations called librations. -- astro-ph.EP

Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Enceladus, Habitable Zones, Icy Worlds, Mimas, Status Report, Water/Hycean Worlds & Oceanography

A Simplified Model for the Forced Libration of Icy Moons with Subsurface Oceans: Application to Enceladus and Mimas

by Keith CowingMay 7, 2024May 7, 2024

In this work, we investigate a minimalist model capable of accurately replicating the forced librations of an icy moon with a subsurface ocean.