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A cometary perspective of Enceladus

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  06 April 2010

Daniel C. Boice  and
Raymond Goldstein
Daniel C. Boice
Affiliation:
Space Science & Engineering Div., Southwest Research Institute, 6220 Culebra Road, San Antonio, TX 78238USA email: dboice@swri.edu, rgoldstein@swri.edu
Raymond Goldstein
Affiliation:
Space Science & Engineering Div., Southwest Research Institute, 6220 Culebra Road, San Antonio, TX 78238USA email: dboice@swri.edu, rgoldstein@swri.edu
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Abstract

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Icy plumes venting from Enceladus draw obvious comparisons to such features seen in comets. This paper outlines a consistent evolution from cometary activity to larger icy bodies in the outer solar system. The major differences are due to the systematic effects of increased gravity, including more spherical solid bodies (self-gravity), less porosity, the possible existence of liquid water due to internal sources of heat (Enceladus) versus possible cometary cyrovolcanism, internal inhomogeneities leading to jet-like features, and the possibility of a quasi-bound dusty gas atmosphere, as opposed to the extensive exospheres of comets. Similarities exist also, including gas and dust emission and the filamentary nature of jet-like features (caused by surface topography in comets), surface evolution by dust accumulation, heat and gas transport through the surface layers, among others. Initial results regarding the plume chemistry and comparisons to CAPS ion data show similarities too. Others have considered additional effects such as, charging of particles, micrometeorite impacts and complex interactions with the E-ring neutrals and plasma in great detail so these topics remain outside the scope of this paper.

Keywords

Planets and Satellites: EnceladusComets: ChironComets: General
Type
Contributed Papers
Information
Proceedings of the International Astronomical Union , Volume 5 , Symposium S263: Icy Bodies of the Solar System , August 2009 , pp. 151 - 156
Copyright
Copyright © International Astronomical Union 2010

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