Mimas: Frozen Fragment, Ring Relic, or Emerging Ocean World?

IF 11.3 1区 地球科学 Q1 ASTRONOMY & ASTROPHYSICS Annual Review of Earth and Planetary Sciences Pub Date : 2023-05-31 DOI:10.1146/annurev-earth-031621-061221
A. Rhoden
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Abstract

Mimas, the smallest and innermost of Saturn's mid-sized moons, has a heavily cratered surface devoid of the intricate fracture systems of its neighbor, Enceladus. However, Cassini measurements identified a signature of an ocean under Mimas’ ice shell, although a frozen ice shell over a rocky interior could not be ruled out. The Mimas ocean hypothesis has stimulated inquiry into Mimas’ geologic history and orbital evolution. Here, we summarize the results of these investigations, which (perhaps surprisingly) are consistent with an ocean-bearing Mimas as long as it is geologically young. In that case, a ring origin for Mimas is favored over primordial accretion. An independently developed model for the formation of a gap in Saturn's rings provides a potential mechanism for generating a late-stage ocean within Mimas and may have assisted in the development of Enceladus’ ocean and associated geologic activity. Rather than a battered relic, Mimas may be the youngest ocean moon in the Saturn system, destined to join Enceladus as an active world in the future. The presence of oceans within Saturn's mid-sized moons also has implications for the habitability of Uranus’ moons; the Uranus system was chosen as the highest priority target for the next NASA Flagship-class mission. ▪ Models of Mimas’ tides and rotation state support a present-day internal ocean. ▪ Mimas’ craters, impact basin, and lack of widespread tectonism are compatible with a stable/warming ocean. ▪ The formation of the Cassini Division within Saturn's rings provides a potential pathway to a present-day ocean within Mimas. ▪ If Mimas has an ocean today, it is geologically young.
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土玛斯:冰冻碎片,环遗迹,还是新兴的海洋世界?
土卫一是土星的中型卫星中最小、最里面的一颗,它的表面有大量的陨石坑,没有它的邻居土卫二复杂的断裂系统。然而,卡西尼号的测量发现了土卫一冰壳下存在海洋的迹象,尽管不能排除在岩石内部存在冰冻冰壳的可能性。土卫一海洋假说激发了人们对土卫一地质历史和轨道演化的研究。在这里,我们总结了这些调查的结果,这些结果(也许令人惊讶)与含有海洋的土卫一一致,只要它在地质上是年轻的。在这种情况下,土星环的起源比原始吸积更受青睐。一个独立开发的土星环缝隙形成模型为土卫一后期形成海洋提供了一个潜在的机制,可能有助于土卫二海洋的发展和相关的地质活动。土卫一不是一颗残缺的遗迹,它可能是土星系统中最年轻的海洋卫星,注定要在未来加入土卫二的行列,成为一个活跃的世界。土星的中等大小卫星中存在海洋,这也暗示了天王星卫星的可居住性;天王星系统被选为下一个NASA旗舰级任务的最高优先目标。▪土卫一潮汐和旋转状态的模型支持当今的内部海洋。▪土卫一上的环形山、撞击盆地和缺乏广泛的构造活动与稳定/变暖的海洋是相容的。▪卡西尼号在土星环内的形成提供了一条通往土卫一内部现代海洋的潜在途径。▪如果土卫一今天有海洋,那么它在地质上是年轻的。
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来源期刊
Annual Review of Earth and Planetary Sciences
Annual Review of Earth and Planetary Sciences 地学天文-地球科学综合
CiteScore
25.10
自引率
0.00%
发文量
25
期刊介绍: Since its establishment in 1973, the Annual Review of Earth and Planetary Sciences has been dedicated to providing comprehensive coverage of advancements in the field. This esteemed publication examines various aspects of earth and planetary sciences, encompassing climate, environment, geological hazards, planet formation, and the evolution of life. To ensure wider accessibility, the latest volume of the journal has transitioned from a gated model to open access through the Subscribe to Open program by Annual Reviews. Consequently, all articles published in this volume are now available under the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license.
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