Enceladus—a Saturn moon—is not the only ocean world in our solar system, but it is a top candidate for hosting life. NASA’s Cassini spacecraft team have not found microbes, but they have found their food, according to the article “Food for microbes abundant on Enceladus,” in the journal Science.
Beneath Enceladus’s icy surface is a salty ocean, as evidenced by jets of water ice and vapor erupting from its fissures. Cassini’s first pass found organic molecules like formaldehyde and methane. But it was not until the final pass in October 2015 that abundant hydrogen gas was found, likely from hydrothermal activity on the ocean floor. The activity is similar to the seafloor vents on Earth.
In the 2020s, NASA will launch the Europa Clipper mission to conduct a detailed reconnaissance of Jupiter’s moon Europa to investigate whether the icy moon harbors conditions for life.
 | ||
| This graphic illustrates how Cassini scientists think water interacts with rock at the bottom of the ocean of Saturn's icy moon Enceladus, producing hydrogen gas. Credits: NASA/JPL-Caltech |
No comments:
Post a Comment