The south pole fissures have fascinated astronomers for years

Mar 20, 2012 10:57 GMT  ·  By
Images showing how the pull of Saturn's gravity can deform the surface of Saturn's moon Enceladus in the south polar region crisscrossed by fissures known as tiger stripes
   Images showing how the pull of Saturn's gravity can deform the surface of Saturn's moon Enceladus in the south polar region crisscrossed by fissures known as tiger stripes

Undoubtedly, the most remarkable things about the icy Saturnine moon Enceladus are its geysers. These originate in fissures located at the south pole, which blast large amounts of water vapor and organic particle into space. Scientists now say the gas giant is driving these eruptions.

Using data collected by the NASA Cassini spacecraft – which has been analyzing Saturn, its rings and its moons since achieving orbital insertion around the gas giant, on July 1, 2004 – the team was able to find a link between the geyser eruptions and the gravitational forces exerted on the moon.

As a gas giant, Saturn exerts huge tidal and gravitational forces on all of its moons. In the case of Enceladus, these influences translate into stretching and stressing the fissures through which chemicals from within the moon are vented.

Cassini images appear to suggest that the water vapors released by these celestial objects are contributing to replenishing Saturn's E Ring. Details of the latest study on the issue were presented at the Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, in The Woodlands, Texas, on March 19.

“This new work gives scientists insight into the mechanics of these picturesque jets at Enceladus and shows that Saturn really stresses Enceladus,” explains Cassini scientist Terry Hurford, who is based at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), in Greenbelt, Maryland.

He explains that Enceladus' tiger stripe-like features became most active immediately after the moon passed its point of closest orbital approach to Saturn. This happens because the plant's pull can make one of the fissure edges move differently from the other one, causing an eruption.

“Cassini's seven-plus years roaming the Saturn system have shown us how beautifully dynamic and unexpected the Saturn system is over time. We're looking forward to new discoveries as the seasons turn,” explains researcher Linda Spilker.

She holds an appointment as a Cassini project scientist with the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), in Pasadena, California. The expert says that Saturn is apparently able to deform fissures on Enceladus even when the moon moves far away from the gas giant.