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Degree-one convection and the origin of Enceladus' dichotomy
- Source :
-
ICARUS . Nov2007, Vol. 191 Issue 1, p203-210. 8p. - Publication Year :
- 2007
-
Abstract
- Abstract: Recently, the Cassini spacecraft has detected ongoing geologic activity near the south pole of Saturn''s moon Enceladus. In contrast, the satellite''s north-polar region is heavily cratered and appears to have been geologically inactive for a long time. We propose that this hemispheric dichotomy is caused by interior dynamics with degree-one convection driving the south-polar activity. We investigate a number of core sizes and internal heating rates for which degree-one convection occurs. The numerical simulations imply that a core radius of less than km and an energy input at a rate of 3.0 to 5.5 GW would be required for degree-one convection to prevail. This is within the range of the observed thermal power release near Enceladus'' south pole. Provided that Enceladus is not fully differentiated, degree-one convection is found to be a viable mechanism to explain Enceladus'' hemispheric dichotomy. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]
- Subjects :
- *ENCELADUS (Satellite)
*SOLAR system
*SATELLITES of Jupiter
*SATELLITES of Mars
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 00191035
- Volume :
- 191
- Issue :
- 1
- Database :
- Academic Search Index
- Journal :
- ICARUS
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 27139840
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1016/j.icarus.2007.05.001