Ice volcanoIt is a low-temperature typevolcano,burstVolatilesaswater，ammoniaormethane, notMolten rock,Collectively referred to ascryomagma Or ice volcano melting, which is usuallyliquidAnd can formFeatherHowever, when exposed to a very low background temperature, ice magma can alsosteamAfter the form explodes, it is expected to condense into a solid.Cryovolcanoes may be formed fromCold SatellitesWith other bodies rich in water, such as planets in the solar system (such as those with snowPluto）。Pluto has been identified as possibly having cryovolcanoes,TitanAnd Ceres.In addition, although they do not know the formation of the volcano, the ice spring has beenEnceladusAnd Triton were observed.
A potential energy source melts ice and produces cryovolcanoes.somecelestial bodies yesTidal friction。Some people also think that frozen materials, translucent shells can create an undergroundgreenhouse effect, which needs to be accumulatedHeat.
yesKuiper beltQuaoar Past signs of warming，Some scientists speculate that it showsIce volcano。Radioactive decayIt can provide the required energy for such activities. When crovolcanoes can emit mixed water of ammonia, it will flow from the crater at 180 K (− 93C °) and create an extremely cold liquid.
Unlike volcanoes, ice volcanoes do not erupt lava. Instead, they emit volatiles such as water, ammonia and methane.Such eruptions are called cryomagma by analogy with ice volcanoes.Ice magma is usually liquid and flows around when it erupts, but it may also be gaseous and diffuse into smoke.After eruption, ice magma will condense intosolid。Some scientists estimate that the ice volcanoes on Saturn's largest moon Titan have the conditions to provide shelter for possible extraterrestrial life.
The energy that causes the melting of underground ice and the formation of ice volcanoes comes from tidal friction.Some scholars also believe that the translucent nature of frozen sediment can cause greenhouse effect under the surface, thus accumulating enough heat.
It is speculated thatAsteroid 50000Ice volcanoes have also appeared in Shanghai.In this case, thermal energy may be produced by nuclear decay.
be locatedEnceladusSmoke from ice volcanoes in the "tiger stripe" zone of Antarctica.The intermittent eruption of the ice volcano continuouslySaturnE ring supplement.
CassiniFoundtitanThere is an ice volcano erupting methane on Titan. It is speculated that the ice volcano is an important source of methane in Titan's atmosphere.November 27, 2005Cassini has captured the south pole of EnceladusGeyser(SeeIcevolcanoes on Enceladus）。
Since then, some other frozen satellites（Europa、Ganymede）Indirect evidence of ice volcanism has been found on.
The ice volcano was first discovered in 1989 and was swept by Voyager 2Neptune satelliteTriton was observed for a time.be locatedEnceladusSmoke from an ice volcano in the "tiger print" area of Antarctica.Intermittent eruptions of the ice volcano continuously replenish Saturn's E ring.Cassini has found an ice volcano that emits methane on Titan. It is speculated that the ice volcano is in the atmosphere of TitanmethaneAn important source of.
Related findings
Causes of formation of ice volcanoes on Enceladus
On November 27, 2005, Cassini captured the geyser at the south pole of Enceladus (see the ice volcano on Enceladus).Since then, indirect evidence of ice volcanism has been found on other icy satellites (Europa and Ganymede).
In July 2007, American scientists observed that, except Enceladus,PlutoCharon, a close neighbor of, is also likely to have an "ice volcano" (Ice volcano or Cryovolcano) that ejects liquid water.Relevant papers were published in the Journal of Astrophysics.
It is concluded thatArizona State University Jason Cook of.Using the Gemini Observatory on Hawaii's Mauna Kea Mountain, researchers observed thenear infrared spectroscopyAnd found that there were newly formed ice water and ammonia water crystals on the surface of the planet.
Methane may originate from the ocean below
Cook said that only when new deposits continue to occur can the surface of Cajon be covered by ice crystals.
Because under the influence of solar ultraviolet rays and charged particles, the ice crystals on the surface of the planet cannot exist for a long time.
Cook speculated that the liquid water in the core of Charon was mixed with ammonia, which was used as antifreeze to reduce the freezing point of water.Ice volcanoes can eject these internal liquid water, forming a new layer of crystals on the surface of the planet.We have considered several possible processes, and only ice volcanism can be established.
Chemical composition of plumes of Enceladus
University of WashingtonWilliam McKinnon, an ice star expert of, said that it was gratifying to be able to determine the material on the surface of Cajon, but ice volcanoes were not the only explanation.He believes that the ammonia reserves on the Karon are not enough to keep the water in liquid state. The existence of liquid water may be because the porous ice rock outer layer on the surface of the planet separates the internal water from the cold outside.The newly formed crystals on the surface of Charon may have been splashed by the impact of asteroids.
NASA's "New Horizons mission" will finally solve this problem.“New Horizon No”It will reach the Kuiper belt outside Pluto in 2015, when it will get high-quality data and images about the composition of Pluto and its surrounding planets.
McKinnon said, "I will know the answer in eight years, but I don't expect to see a geyser."
Doomsday Mountain, Saturn's Icefire Giant
In December 2010, scientists announced that they may have found the most powerful evidence to date, proving thattitanThere are indeed icebergs on the mountain.The newly discovered ice volcano is 1500 meters high and is named“rose”The Rose was discovered by Cassini spacecraft in orbit around Saturn.The survey shows that there is a deep "depression" on the top of the "rose" mountain, and there seems to be flowing material on the surface of the surrounding area.[1]
Other observations, indirect evidence of later cryovolic activitiesCold SatellitesOfSolar system, includingEuropa，Titan，Ganymede, and MirandaCassiniSeveral features have been observed, which are believed to be on the Cryovolcanoes Titan, especially the Doomsday Mountain and the adjacent socket. One feature is considered as "the best evidence. So far, the volcanic terrain has been recorded in an icy satellite." Volcanism is a process. It is assumed that a significant methane source has been found in Titan's atmosphere.
2007, ObservedGemini Observatory Display patches of crystals on the surface of ammonia hydrate and waterPlutoThe moon Cajon suggests active cryogeysers cryovolcanoes or presence.In 2015, through a new vision and subsequent observations, it was found that Charon had the surface of youth, supporting this view.Pluto itself has two functions, which have been identified as possible cryovolcanoes, snow peak mountains and indentations.
2015, two highlights and one pitdwarf planetCeresOngoingdawnSpacecraft, leading to a possible speculation about the origin of cryovolcanic.
In September 2016,NASA Jet Propulsion LaboratoryAnd NASA scientists, Big Brother DadeAhuna domeCeres is "the volcanic dome is different from any other place in the solar system. [Big] Mountain is naturally a possible volcano. Specifically, it will be an ice volcano - volcanic eruptive liquid is composed of volatile matter such as water, instead of silicate... The only known example is an ice volcano, which may be formed from salt mud mixing, and formed in recent geological history." In addition,At least some of Ceres' well-known highlights (including the Okato pit in particular) may also originate from cryovolcanic.A study published in March 2017 showed that the recent Okato level explosion occurred about 4 million years ago, so Ceres may still be active.
And alien life
On August 16, 2008, according to the US Space Network, in the past 30 years, scientists have known that a complex carbon compound called Thorins exists in the atmosphere of comets and other planets in the solar system. Theoretically, Thorins can carry out a chemical reaction with water called hydrolysis, thus creating a complex molecular structure similar to the early stage of the Earth.
U.S.Aarizona state university Graduate student of Department of Planetary ScienceKatherine NishShe conducted a multi day study in the laboratory, and she formed a substance similar to Solings through hydrolysis at near freezing temperature.She published this research report in《Astrobiology》Magazine.The liquid water exposed on Titan is believed to last for hundreds to thousands of years. On the surface of Titan, pre life molecules may exist in the melting water of collision craters and ice volcanoes. Such a process is likely to occur in the early life gestation stage of the Earth, when there was no significant amount of oxygen in the atmosphere.
The reaction of melting solid ice into liquid water like this often occurs.It is likely that such reactions also occurred on early Earth.[2]
