Ceres' Cryovolcanism Could Unlock Secrets of Uranus' Moons!

New Delhi (The Uttam Hindu): Cryovolcanism—ice volcanoes erupting water and ice—is a hot topic in space science. Two new studies from the 56th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference explore how Ceres’ ice volcanoes can shed light on similar activity on Uranus’ moons like Oberon and Umbriel. These findings could reveal whether these moons have subsurface oceans and the potential for life.

Dr. Adeene Denton and Dr. Jennifer Scully are using Ceres as a model to understand cryovolcanism on Uranus’ moons. They’re comparing Ceres’ bright spots, likely salty deposits, with similar features on Umbriel and Oberon. The studies suggest these moons may have or once had subsurface oceans.

The team modeled how an impact on Umbriel could have melted ice, creating salty deposits, and proposed that Oberon’s mountain could be a cryovolcanic dome. These findings suggest these moons have complex interiors and active geology.

Dr. Denton emphasizes that if NASA returns to Uranus, an orbiter is key to getting high-res data on the moons’ geology. Though NASA’s mission to Uranus won’t arrive until 2044, these studies show there’s still much to learn, even from older data.

Ceres’ cryovolcanism could unlock the secrets of Uranus’ moons—and possibly life in the outer solar system!