New research indicates that four of Uranus’ 27 moons may have oceans buried beneath their icy exteriors, according to a study published in the Journal of Geophysical Research in December 2022.
Miranda, Ariel, Umbriel, and Titania, which are over 1,500 km in diameter, have been studied extensively by scientists. The research is based on 40-year-old data from NASA’s Voyager 2 spacecraft. The study suggests that oceans on Ariel and Umbriel may be closer to the surface at 30 km deep, while Titania and Oberon may have oceans buried some 50 km deep.
The discovery may help explain how even in the cold outer reaches of the solar system, Uranian moons could have persistent internal heat and chemical activity that creates water worlds.
Planetary scientist Julie Castillo-Rogez, lead author of the study, said that the finding could increase the likelihood of ocean worlds being present in our solar system and beyond. Uranus’ five largest moons, including Titania, Oberon, Ariel, Umbriel, and Miranda, are believed to have had substantial oceans ranging from 100 km to 150 km deep in their early history.
Although Europa, a moon of Jupiter, and Enceladus, a moon of Saturn, have significant subsurface oceans, the oceans on Uranus’ largest moons are “mostly frozen by now” due to the weaker tidal forces of Uranus compared to Jupiter or Saturn.
However, the researchers believe that the subsurface oceans could be habitable environments for microbial life that is adapted to living in extreme environments.
The research suggests that limited leftover internal heat and high levels of ammonia, which acts as antifreeze to keep water in liquid form, allow Uranus’ moons to hold “thin oceans with high salt concentrations.”
The study’s authors used data from NASA missions that studied celestial bodies with subsurface oceans to create a model of how Uranus’ largest moons formed and evolved over time.
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