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Ocean worlds are prevalent in the solar system. Focusing on Enceladus, Titan, Europa, and Ganymede, I use rotating convection theory and numerical simulations to predict ocean currents and the potential for ice‐ocean coupling. When the influence of rotation is relatively strong, the oceans have multiple zonal jets, axial convective motions, and most efficient heat transfer at high latitudes. This regime is most relevant to Enceladus and possibly to Titan and may help explain their long‐wavelength topography. For a more moderate rotational influence, fewer zonal jets form, Hadley‐like circulation cells develop, and heat flux peaks near the equator. This regime is predicted for Europa, where it may help drive geologic activity via thermocompositional diapirism in the ice shell, and is possible for Titan. Weak rotational influence allows concentric zonal flows and overturning cells with no preferred orientation. Predictions for Ganymede's ocean span multiple regimes.

a b s t r a c tAn accurate description of turbulent core convection is necessary in order to build robust models of planetary core processes. Towards this end, we focus here on the physics of rapidly rotating convection. In particular, we present a closely coupled suite of advanced asymptotically-reduced theoretical models, efficient Cartesian direct numerical simulations (DNS) and laboratory experiments. Good convergence is demonstrated between these three approaches, showing that a comprehensive understanding of the dynamics appears to be within reach in our simplified rotating convection system. The goal of this paper is to review these findings, and to discuss their possible implications for planetary cores dynamics.

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