Oceans Abound? Tectonic Tests of Global Ocean Models for Enceladus and Mimas

Abstract:

Librations identified in Cassinidata imply that Mimas either has a global ocean or an irregular core (Tajeddine et al., 2014). A global ocean is the only model consistent with Enceladus’ librations (Tajeddine et al., 2015). A global ocean can also explain gravity measurements of Enceladus as long as the overlying ice shell is thicker in the north pole than the south pole (McKinnon, 2015), although a regional sea is also possible (Iess et al., 2014). Generations of fractures at Enceladus’ south pole may indicate longitudinal migration of the ice shell, which would also require a global ocean (Patthoff and Kattenhorn, 2011). Because both Mimas and Enceladus have eccentric orbits (0.0196 and 0.0047, respectively) interior models that include oceans can generate much larger tidal stresses than models without oceans. However, the enhancement in tidal stress due to oceans creates complications for both moons.

Mimas’ surface is ancient and heavily cratered; only about 40 tectonic features have been identified, globally (Schenk, 2011). The lack of tidal-tectonic activity on Mimas implies that either it has not experienced large tidal stresses over its surface age or that its ice shell behaves quite differently than Europa. Enceladus has a young, heavily-fractured region at the south pole, and an old, heavily-cratered region at the north pole. Are global ocean models compatible with ongoing, tidal-tectonic activity at Enceladus’ south pole and the lack of activity on Mimas and at Enceladus’ north pole?

We consider whether global oceans are compatible with the geologic records of Mimas and Enceladus by calculating tidal stresses for 5-layer interior structure models. To explore the range of possible interior structures, we vary the ice shell thickness, the depth of the upper brittle ice layer, and the viscosities of the brittle and ductile ice layers. We find that a global ocean within Mimas generates tidal stresses comparable to those on Europa (~100 kPa) and in some cases much larger (>1 MPa), which is very difficult to reconcile with its lack of tectonic activity. We, thus, favor the interpretation that Mimas has an elongated core. For Enceladus, our preliminary analysis suggests that it is challenging to find global ocean models that would promote fracturing in the south pole while inhibiting fracturing in the north pole.