Unveiling Cryovolcanic Secrets: The Icy Moons' Hidden Activity

Scientists from the UK have recreated the extreme space conditions on icy moons, revealing water's unstable behavior that hints at ancient cryovolcanic activity. Using a low-pressure chamber called 'George', researchers simulated Europa and Enceladus's environments, observing water's unique boiling and freezing properties in near-vacuum conditions.

Scientists from the UK have managed to replicate the extreme conditions found on icy moons, offering insights into cryovolcanic activity across the solar system. The study reveals that water behaves unusually in near-zero pressure, concurrently boiling and freezing—phenomena that could point to ancient volcanic activity on celestial bodies.

Using a specially built low-pressure chamber at the Open University, researchers simulated conditions on Europa and Enceladus, icy moons of Jupiter and Saturn, respectively. They monitored water's behavior in these environments, discovering it could reshape moon surfaces through a process akin to Earth's volcanic activity, known as cryovolcanism.

Findings, published in Earth and Planetary Sciences Letters, highlight the potential to detect ancient cryovolcanism via spacecraft equipped with radars, by identifying unique topographical features on icy moons. This could provide crucial clues for future missions, further demystifying the enigmatic cryovolcanic processes.

(With inputs from agencies.)