SwRI scientist uncovers evidence for an internal ocean in small Saturn moon
A Southwest Research Institute scientist set out to prove that the tiny, innermost moon of Saturn was a frozen inert satellite and instead discovered compelling evidence that Mimas has a liquid internal ocean. In the waning days of NASA's Cassini mission, the spacecraft identified a curious libration, or oscillation, in the moon's rotation, which often points to a geologically active body able to support an internal ocean.
"If Mimas has an ocean, it represents a new class of small, 'stealth' ocean worlds with surfaces that do not betray the ocean's existence," said SwRI's Dr. Alyssa Rhoden, a specialist in the geophysics of icy satellites, particularly those containing oceans, and the evolution of giant planet satellites systems.
Mimas (the Death Star one). List of largest lakes and seas in the Solar System.
The case for an ocean-bearing Mimas from tidal heating analysis (DOI: 10.1016/j.icarus.2021.114872)
(Score: -1, Offtopic) by Anonymous Coward on Monday January 24 2022, @04:24AM (2 children)
No comments on such an important discovery? Things like this could cause us to have another season of "The Expanse".
(Score: -1, Offtopic) by Anonymous Coward on Monday January 24 2022, @04:40AM (1 child)
the site has been hijacked by the Drama Queen, arisockus people don't have time for STEM
(Score: -1, Offtopic) by Anonymous Coward on Monday January 24 2022, @06:00AM
You do not have to keep AC posting in his journal, Runaway! Just, let it go. Mimas is Frozen.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday January 24 2022, @11:42PM (1 child)
But curious libration is only suggestive? Or the liquid part is very deep. We do not see the smoothed out surface like on Enceledus or Europa, and that huge crater that suggests the Death Star hasn't been erased. How do we explain that?
(And, BTW, Mimas was discovered after the Star Wars movies came out, so this is a case of nature imitating art, or at least anticipating it.)
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday January 25 2022, @01:23AM
Mimas was discovered in 1789 by William Herschel.