EIS - Evolving Ice Shells - processes shaping planetary ice shells inferred from numerical modelling

Czech Science foundation project No. 22-20388S (years 2022-2024).

Abstract

The recent discoveries of liquid water oceans in the interiors of Jovian and Saturnian satellites Europa and Enceladus have made these icy moons some of the most intensively studied Solar System objects with a great astrobiological potential. However, the deep ocean habitats, possibly harbouring life, remain hidden below the outer ice shells - a few to tens of kilometers thick barriers that make any direct contact with the ocean extremely challenging. This highlights the importance of the search for links between surface observations and interior structure and dynamics. Such a goal can be achieved by numerical modelling of the ice shell dynamics and by identifying its surface manifestations. This goal will be pursued by studying: 1) the elements of planetary ice shell evolution, i.e. processes on various spatial and temporal scales governing the shell deformation, stress development, shape evolution, and rotational dynamics, and 2) the surface signatures of internal processes and assessing their relevance as potential observables by spacecraft missions.

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Goals

Search for links between surface observations and interior processes in icy moons by

  • numerical modelling of ice shell dynamics, deformation and reorientation

  • studying their surface manifestations and assessing their relevance as potential observables by spacecraft missions.

Publications:

Souček, O., Běhounková, M., Lanzendörfer, M., Tobie, G. and G. Choblet (2024), Variations in plume activity reveal the dynamics of water-filled faults on Enceladus, Nature Communications https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-51677-z

Kottman, P. and O. Soucek (2024), On the pitfalls of diffuse interface methods in problems involving non-material interfaces International Journal of Non-linear Mechanics https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijnonlinmec.2024.104725

Kalousová, K., Wakita, S., Sotin, Ch., Neish C.D., Soderblom, J.M., Souček, O., and B. Johnson (2024), Evolution of impact melt pools on Titan Journal of Geophysical Research - Planets, https://doi.org/10.1029/2023JE008107.

Broz, P., Kryza, O., Patocka, V., Penkavova, V., Conway, S. J., Mazzini, A., et al. (2023) Volumetric changes of mud on Mars: Evidence from laboratory simulations, Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets, 128, https://doi.org/10.1029/2023JE007950

Walterova, M., Behounkova, M., and Efroimsky, M. (2023) Is There a Semi-Molten Layer at the Base of the Lunar Mantle, Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets, 128, e2022JE007652, https://doi.org/10.1029/2023JE007950

Patocka, V., Kihoulou M. (2023): Dynamic reorientation of tidally locked bodies: Application to Pluto, Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 617(1), 118270, https://doi.org/10.1029/2022JE007652

Soucek, O., Běhounková, M. Schroeder, D.M., Wolfenbarger, N., Kalousova, K., Steinbruegge, G. and K.M. Soderlund (2023), Radar Attenuation in Enceladus’ Ice Shell: Obstacles and Opportunities for Constraining Shell Thickness, Chemistry, and Thermal Structure, Journal of Geophysical Research - Planets, https://doi.org/10.1029/2022JE007626

Kihoulou, M., K. Kalousova, and O. Soucek (2022), Evolution of Pluto’s impact-deformed ice shell below Sputnik Planitia basin, Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets, 127, e2022JE007221, https://doi.org/10.1029/2022JE007221.

Castillo-Rogez, J. C., and K. Kalousova (2022), Ocean Worlds in Our Solar System, Elements, 18(3), https://doi.org/10.2138/gselements.18.3.161.

Kihoulou, M., O. Cadek, J. Kvorka, K. Kalousova, G. Choblet, and G. Tobie (2023), Topographic response to ocean heat flux anomaly on the icy moons of Jupiter and Saturn, Icarus, 391, 115337, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.icarus.2022.115337.