New Findings Suggest Subsurface Oceans on Uranus’s Large Moons
Analyses of archival data indicate that an ocean may lie beneath the surfaces of four of Uranus’s moons, a conclusion explored by researchers at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Uranus stands as the seventh planet in our solar system and remains among the least explored worlds. Only a single mission has flown past it, NASA’s Voyager 2 in 1986. Scientists currently recognize 27 moons orbiting Uranus, with four moons among them classified as large and geologically intriguing.
Researchers at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory used computer simulations to test the idea that these four satellites could harbor liquid water oceans beneath their icy crusts. The study blended Voyager’s archived images and crater data with modern ground-based telescope observations. By analyzing surface textures, crater ages, and possible volcanic indicators, the team inferred timelines for surface and interior processes. The work also incorporated recent advances in geochemistry and drew on comparisons with other icy bodies studied by spacecraft, notably Saturn’s Enceladus, which was investigated by the Cassini mission.
The simulations support the possibility that internal heat sources could maintain subsurface oceans in these moons. Estimates place the ocean depths at less than 30 kilometers for Ariel and Umbriel, and under 50 kilometers for Titania and Oberon. The sustained liquid state is thought to arise from heat produced by radioactive elements in the moons’ rocky cores, combined with chloride salts and ammonia acting as antifreeze, both of which can remain dissolved in the subsurface water. These findings suggest a complex internal structure where oceans could persist despite their distant, frigid environments. The researchers note that future spacecraft visits are essential to confirm these results with direct measurements. A planned mission is anticipated, though its launch could be affected by the global supply of plutonium-238 in the late 2030s.
For readers seeking a broader discussion of how oceans might exist on distant icy worlds, a recent overview highlights the mechanisms and evidence, including theoretical models and observational data, with specific references to analogous icy moons such as Enceladus and the broader implications for habitability in the outer solar system. [Citation: Space science review note].
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