Facts about Enceladus's Ice Fountains
- 07
In 2017, analysis of Cassini data revealed that Enceladus's ice fountains contain hydrogen gas produced by hydrothermal reactions between rocky seafloor and subsurface ocean water.
- 06
Sodium chloride salt crystals detected in Enceladus's plume compositions by Cassini suggest direct interaction between the subsurface ocean and rocky seafloor minerals.
- 05
Gravitational heating from Saturn's tidal forces generates enough internal friction within Enceladus to maintain liquid water beneath the ice fountains year-round.
- 04
Enceladus's ice fountains originate from tiger stripe fractures in the south polar region, four linear cracks each approximately 130 kilometers long that actively vent material into space.
- 03
Enceladus's ice fountains eject material at speeds exceeding 2,000 kilometers per hour, providing enough velocity to escape the moon's gravity and distribute organic material throughout Saturn's E-ring.
- 02
Water vapor and organic compounds detected in Enceladus's plumes by Cassini's mass spectrometer indicate a subsurface ocean beneath the moon's icy crust.
- 01
The plumes erupting from Enceladus's ice fountains reach heights of 200 kilometers, discovered by Cassini spacecraft observations beginning in 2005.