Tag: plume chemistry
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Can Radiolysis Explain Material in and Around Enceladus’ South Polar Plume? Insights from Ion Irradiation of Ice Analogues
Introduction: Probing Enceladus’ Radiation Chemistry Saturn’s magnetosphere bathes Enceladus in a harsh radiation field, continually delivering water-group ions and energetic particles to the moon’s icy surface. A crucial question in astrobiology and planetary science is whether the materials observed in Enceladus’ south polar plume—and on its surrounding terrain—are remnants of a subsurface ocean or products…
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Ion Irradiation Studies Of Enceladus Ice Analogues: Can Radiolysis Account For Material In And Around The South Polar Plume?
Introduction Enceladus, one of Saturn’s most intriguing moons, hosts a dynamic south polar plume that ejects icy particles and vapor into space. The surrounding environment is dominated by Saturn’s magnetosphere, a source of trapped plasma and energetic ions that continuously irradiate the moon’s surface. A growing question in astrobiology and planetary science is whether radiolysis—chemical…