New research suggests that Saturn’s moon Mimas may have developed a massive underground ocean due to changes in its orbital eccentricity, causing its icy shell to melt and become thinner over time.
The study titled “The evolution of a young ocean within Mimas” published in Earth and Planetary Science Letters, was co-authored by Walker and led by Alyssa Rose Rhoden of the Southwest Research Institute.
According to Walker, the high eccentricity of Mimas is driving tidal heating, which is gradually thinning the icy shell. This process is not sustainable as it eventually reduces the eccentricity, leading to the shutdown of the entire system.
The melting of Mimas’s icy shell likely began when its eccentricity was two to three times higher than its current value. The geological evidence over the past 10 million years supports the theory of a thinning ice shell.
Walker also noted that the presence of craters on Mimas, such as Herschel crater, suggests that the icy shell was thicker in the past. The unique morphology of these craters indicates a significant change in the moon’s surface over time.
2024-04-15 18:51:02
Article from phys.org