Encelado, Saturn Moon, captured by NASA
Saturn moon chemistry is increasingly resembling some areas of our planet. Can this satellite host life in the near future?
The cold moon of Saturn, Encardit has a fascinating chemistry, reveal new investigations made in the astronomers regarding the possibility of lifelong.
In Ice Plumes expelled by Fractures in the Enestial Crust, a team led by Azair Khawaja Astrobiologist from the University of Stuttack, Germany, identified a large number of organic molecules, including several observed for the first time in this context. This is the first time a detailed analysis of this type has been done.
O, published in Nature Astronomy This week reveals that the molecules detected implies a environment similar to some of the earth where we know that life thrives – hydrothermal systems at the bottom of the ocean.
“Ice grains not only contain cold water, but also other molecules, including organic,” Khawaja explains to
“At lower impact speeds, the Ice fragmented and the sign of water molecules can hide the sign of certain organic molecules. But at very high speedswater molecules do not cluster, And we have the opportunity to see signs that were once hidden, ”he says.
The “ingredients” found are consistent with a hydrothermal environment – thus represent the better evidence until the date that such systems exist in Encellate.
Even not finding a life in Equélado, that would be a huge discovery, because it raises serious questions about why life is not present in an environment with the right conditions, ”says Khawaja.“ There is a lot more in the data we are still exploring, so we hope to find much more soon. ”
