Interiors and Evolution of Icy Satellites

Hußmann, H.; Sotin, C.; Lunine, Jonathan I.

doi:10.1016/b978-0-444-53802-4.00178-0

Cited by 42 publications

(43 citation statements)

References 269 publications

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“…Nevertheless, our model may overestimate the effect of a lid since we assume that the shell has a uniform viscosity structure for simplicity. The viscosity of an icy shell of actual satellites, however, would vary largely with depth [e.g., Hussmann et al , ]; the viscosity of the near‐surface layer would be very high while that of the base of the shell would be much lower. Consequently, the thickness of a stiff lid may be much thinner than that of the icy shell.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Most of the satellites of Jupiter and Saturn are covered by an icy shell because of the low surface temperature. Based on internal thermal and structural modeling, large icy satellites, such as Europa and Titan, are expected to possess an internal ocean underneath an icy shell [e.g., Hussmann et al , ]. This expectation is supported from observational data by the Galileo and Cassini spacecraft and by the Hubble Space Telescope [e.g., Kivelson et al , , ; Iess et al , ; Saur et al , ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Tidal resonance in icy satellites with subsurface oceans

2015

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Tidal dissipation is a major heat source for the icy satellites of the giant planets. Several icy satellites likely possess a subsurface ocean underneath an ice shell. Previous studies of tidal dissipation on icy satellites, however, have either assumed a static ocean or ignored the effect of the ice lid on subsurface ocean dynamics. In this study, we examine inertial effects on tidal deformation of satellites with a dynamic ocean overlain by an ice lid based on viscoelasto-gravitational theory. Although ocean dynamics is treated in a simplified fashion, we find a resonant configuration when the phase velocity of ocean gravity waves is similar to that of the tidal bulge. This condition is achieved when a subsurface ocean is thin (<1 km). The enhanced deformation (increased h 2 and k 2 Love numbers) near the resonant configuration would lead to enhanced tidal heating in the solid lid. A static ocean formulation gives an accurate result only if the ocean thickness is much larger than the resonant thickness. The resonant configuration strongly depends on the properties of the shell, demonstrating the importance of the presence of a shell on tidal dissipation.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Tidal resonance in icy satellites with subsurface oceans

2015

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“…The outer ice I layers of icy moons and dwarf planets result from the crystallization of their primordial ocean [e.g., Hussmann et al , ]. These layers first transfer heat by conduction, but when they are thick enough, typically a few tens of kilometers, they become unstable and are animated by convection.…”

Section: Concluding Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The cooling of icy satellites is controlled by the heat transfer through their outer ice layer [ Hussmann et al , ]. The physical (thickness and thermal conductivity) and rheological (viscosity) properties of this layer allow thermal convection to operate within it and thus to enhance heat transport from the satellite's interior toward its surface.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Stagnant lid convection in bottom-heated thin 3-D spherical shells: Influence of curvature and implications for dwarf planets and icy moons

Yao¹,

Deschamps

Lowman

et al. 2014

J. Geophys. Res. Planets

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(2014), Stagnant lid convection in bottom-heated thin 3-D spherical shells: Influence of curvature and implications for dwarf planets and icy moons, J. Geophys. Res. Planets, 119, 1895-1913, doi:10.1002 Abstract Because the viscosity of ice is strongly temperature dependent, convection in the ice layers of icy moons and dwarf planets likely operates in the stagnant lid regime, in which a rigid lid forms at the top of the fluid and reduces the heat transfer. A detailed modeling of the thermal history and radial structure of icy moons and dwarf planets thus requires an accurate description of stagnant lid convection. We performed numerical experiments of stagnant lid convection in 3-D spherical geometries for various ice shell curvatures f (measured as the ratio between the inner and outer radii), effective Rayleigh number Ra m , and viscosity contrast Δ . From our results, we derived scaling laws for the average temperature of the well-mixed interior, m , and the heat flux transported through the shell. The nondimensional temperature difference across the bottom thermal boundary layer is well described by (1 − m ) = 1.23 f 1.5 , where is a parameter that controls the magnitude of the viscosity contrast. The nondimensional heat flux at the bottom of the shell, F bot , scales as F bot = 1.46Ra 0.27 m 1.21 f 1.78 . Our models also show that the development of the stagnant lid regime depends on f . For given values of Ra m and Δ , the stagnant lid is less developed as the shell's curvature increases (i.e., as f decreases), leading to improved heat transfer. Therefore, as the outer ice shells of icy moons and dwarf planets grow, the effects of a stagnant lid are less pronounced.

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“…This indicates that the satellite has a terrestrial planet‐like composition (Hussmann et al. ). The other Galilean satellites, Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto, have smaller densities, with a value of ~2989, ~1942, and ~1835 kg m −3 , respectively.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Thermal evolution of trans‐Neptunian objects, icy satellites, and minor icy planets in the early solar system

Bhatia

Sahijpal

2017

Meteorit & Planetary Scien

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Numerical simulations are performed to understand the early thermal evolution and planetary scale differentiation of icy bodies with the radii in the range of 100–2500 km. These icy bodies include trans‐Neptunian objects, minor icy planets (e.g., Ceres, Pluto); the icy satellites of Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune; and probably the icy‐rocky cores of these planets. The decay energy of the radionuclides, 26Al, 60Fe, 40K, 235U, 238U, and 232Th, along with the impact‐induced heating during the accretion of icy bodies were taken into account to thermally evolve these planetary bodies. The simulations were performed for a wide range of initial ice and rock (dust) mass fractions of the icy bodies. Three distinct accretion scenarios were used. The sinking of the rock mass fraction in primitive water oceans produced by the substantial melting of ice could lead to planetary scale differentiation with the formation of a rocky core that is surrounded by a water ocean and an icy crust within the initial tens of millions of years of the solar system in case the planetary bodies accreted prior to the substantial decay of 26Al. However, over the course of billions of years, the heat produced due to 40K, 235U, 238U, and 232Th could have raised the temperature of the interiors of the icy bodies to the melting point of iron and silicates, thereby leading to the formation of an iron core. Our simulations indicate the presence of an iron core even at the center of icy bodies with radii ≥500 km for different ice mass fractions.

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Interiors and Evolution of Icy Satellites

Cited by 42 publications

References 269 publications

Tidal resonance in icy satellites with subsurface oceans

Tidal resonance in icy satellites with subsurface oceans

Stagnant lid convection in bottom-heated thin 3-D spherical shells: Influence of curvature and implications for dwarf planets and icy moons

Thermal evolution of trans‐Neptunian objects, icy satellites, and minor icy planets in the early solar system

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