Saturn’s magnetosphere has trapped plasma and active charged particles that constantly radiate Encladus surface. Plasma consists of a variety of charged molecules including the water group ions, and is primarily formed of high -energy electrons that interact with column materials. The notes of the Cassini spacecraft in NASA show that on the internal icebergous satellites of Saturn, such as MIMAS and Tethys, the radiance of cold plasma darkens the spectra of the reflection and produces Polisi -shaped features on the satellite surfaces. However, in Encladus, the effects of plasma bombing are unknown and difficult to identify.
“While identifying the complex organic molecules in the Enselados environment is still an important guide in assessing the ability of the moon’s ability, the results show that the chemistry driven by radiation on the surface and in the columns can create these molecules as well.
Encelados columns were discovered in 2005 by NASA Casini spacecraft.
It stems from long fractures called “tiger lines” located in the Antallados Antarctic region.
The water comes from a sub -perimeter, the energy to heat the ocean and the production of columns is the result of the tidal forces and the attractive islands from the huge beads in Encladus.
Cassini flew through the columns, “tasting” some molecules inside and finds them rich in salts, as well as containing a variety of organic compounds.
Since the organic compounds, which are resolved in a superficial environment of water, can be built in pre -manuscript particles that are ectops in life, these results were of great importance to astronomers.
However, the new results show that exposure to the besieged radiation in the strong magnetic cover in Saturn can lead to the formation of these organic compounds on the ice ENCELADUS surface instead. This calls for questioning their astronomical importance.
In their research, Dr. Richards and his colleagues simulated the formation of ice on the surface and in the walls of the tiger lines in Encelados.
This ice contains water, carbon dioxide, methane, and ammonia, and it is cooled to minus 200 ° C.
Then the researchers bombed the ice with ions to repeat the radiation environment around the elevados.
The ion’s reaction with ice ingredients was, creating a full range of molecular species, including carbon monoxide, cyano and ammonium.
They also produced the molecular sects of amino acids, which form proteins that push metabolic reactions, cell repair and transport food in life.
Some of these compounds were previously discovered on the surface of the Enceladus, but others were also identified in the columns.
Dr. Richards said: “The molecules that are considered before the manuscript on the site can be formed by processing radiation, instead of necessarily arising from the ocean below the surface of the earth,” said Dr. Richards.
“Although this does not rule out the possibility that Encladus is a residence, it means that we need to be careful to make this assumption just for the formation of columns.”
“Understanding how to distinguish between the organic derived from the ocean and the molecules formed by radiation that interacts with the surface and tiger lines will be a great challenge.”
“More data will be needed from future missions, such as the proposed ENCELADUS mission that is currently being studied as part of Voyage 2050 recommendations for ESA science program until the middle of the century.”
team Results It was presented earlier this month in EPSC-dps2025 joint meeting In Helsinki, Finland.
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Grace Richards And others. 2025. Ion radiating studies are a set of its surface analogues. Epsc 18 Summary: Epsc-dps2025-264; DOI: 10.5194/Epsc-DPS2025-264