Another Ice-sealed Ocean Has Been Found In Our Solar System

In a groundbreaking discovery, astronomers have uncovered another ice-sealed ocean in our solar system, hidden beneath the surface of the moon Mimas. Using data from the Cassini spacecraft, researchers at Queen Mary University of London, Observatoire de Paris-PSL, and their colleagues identified a global ocean that is estimated to be only 5-15 million years old. This makes it a relatively new addition to our solar system, in cosmic terms.

The discovery was made possible by an orbital anomaly detected in the Cassini data, which suggested the presence of an unseen ocean beneath Mimas's crater-filled surface. According to Nick Cooper, lead author of the study, "Mimas is a small moon, only about 400 kilometers [249 miles] in diameter, and its heavily cratered surface gave no hint of the hidden ocean beneath." The team inferred the young age of the ocean based on the fact that it has yet to impact the icy surface of the moon.

This discovery adds Mimas to a select club of moons with internal oceans, including Enceladus and Europa.

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Using some of Cassini's data, astronomers Nick Cooper of Queen Mary University of London, Valéry Lainey of the Observatoire de Paris-PSL, and their colleagues, not only discovered the secret global ocean lying beneath Mimas's crater-filled surface, but they also came to the conclusion that it is only 5-15 million years old. This makes it a relative newcomer to our solar system in cosmic terms.

Publisher: New Atlas

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