JOURNAL ARTICLE

Why Do So Many Moons Have Oceans?

  • Published In: Nautilus, 2023, n. 50. P. 16 1 of 3

  • Database: Academic Search Ultimate 2 of 3

  • Authored By: GALLAGHER, BRIAN 3 of 3

Abstract

This article discusses the presence of oceans on moons in our solar system. The author explains that moons, despite being cold, can have oceans due to complex materials and insulating properties. The heat source for these icy moons is an isotope called aluminium-26, which melted the water ice and created thick oceans. The article focuses on the possibility of Uranus' largest moons having oceans, based on modeling and evidence of ammonia on the surface of one moon. The author suggests that future missions could confirm these models and explore the presence of deep oceans on these moons. However, the timeline for such a mission is uncertain, with a potential launch after 2036 and arrival in the 2040s. [Extracted from the article]

Additional Information

  • Source:Nautilus. 2023/07, Issue 50, p16
  • Document Type:Question & Answer
  • Subject Area:Science
  • Publication Date:2023
  • ISSN:2372-1758
  • Accession Number:175733665
  • Copyright Statement:Copyright of Nautilus is the property of NautilusNext Inc. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Looking to go deeper into this topic? Look for more articles on EBSCOhost.