Constraints on Enceladus’ Internal Structure from Cassini Gravity: Beyond Hydrostatic Cores and Uniformly Compensated Shells

Abstract:

Cassini has determined three important gravitational coefficients for Enceladus, J₂, C₂₂ and J₃ (Iess et al., Science 344, 78). The gravity field is non-hydrostatic to 3σ (J₂/C₂₂ = 3.38–3.63, as opposed to 10/3). Iess et al. interpret these in terms of a hydrostatic interior (core) and isostatic (not hydrostatic) floating ice shell. The hydrostatic and non-hydrostatic contributions are separated by assuming the isostatic compensation depth is the same for each gravity term, although this can’t be strictly true in the case of a regional south polar sea. The inferred normalized moment-of-inertia (0.335) implies a core density of 2340–2400 kg/m³, consistent with a highly hydrated and oxidized (sulfate-rich) core, or more plausibly (in a cosmochemical sense), a porous, water-saturated core. The long-term stability of such porosity is questionable, however. Modest topography on a more indurated core could significantly contribute to the gravity signal. For example, if Enceladus’ core density were 3000 kg/m³, excess topography of only 1 km amplitude could provide the same “hydrostatic” J₂ component as modeled in Iess et al. (and requires only 0.1 MPa of stress support). There is also the question of compensation depth of the ice shell. Different formalisms for spherical shells exist in the literature (e.g., Lambeck vs. Turcotte); Iess et al. follow the former and derive a 30-to-40-km thick shell at the south pole, whereas the Turcotte formalism gives a shell only 18-25-km thick. We pay particular attention to this issue, and note a thinner shell would be more mechanically compatible with the spacing of the “tiger stripes,” if the fissures are indeed crevasses open to the ocean below.