Image of the south pole of Triton taken by Voyager 2 in 1989. The dark spots are signs of cryovolcanic plumes.

A cryovolcano is, literally, an icy volcano. Cryovolcanoes form on icy moons, and possibly on other low temperature astronomical objects (e.g. Kuiper belt objects). Rather than molten rock, these volcanoes erupt volatiles such as water, ammonia or methane. Collectively referred to as cryomagma or ice-volcanic melt, these substances are usually liquids and form flumes, but can also be in vapour form. After eruption cryomagma condenses to a solid form when exposed to the very low surrounding temperature. Some scientists speculate that the cryovolcanoes on Titan, Saturn's largest moon, may harbor extraterrestrial life. South Pole of Triton © Calvin J. Hamilton South Pole of Triton - Original page at SolarViews. ... South Pole of Triton © Calvin J. Hamilton South Pole of Triton - Original page at SolarViews. ... Triton (trye-tÉ™n, IPA , Greek Τρίτων), or Neptune I, is the planet Neptunes largest moon. ... Voyager 2 is an unmanned interplanetary spacecraft. ... 1989 (MCMLXXXIX) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... A smoke plume from Mount Ubinas, Peru, the most historically active volcano in that nation. ... Icy moons are believed to be a common class of planetoids that have a surface mostly of ice, possibly with an ocean under the ice, and possibly including a rocky core of silicate or metallic rocks. ... Artists rendering of the Kuiper Belt and hypothetical more distant Oort cloud. ... Look up lava, Aa, pahoehoe in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Impact of a drop of water. ... Ammonia is a compound of nitrogen and hydrogen with the formula NH3. ... The simplest hydrocarbon, methane, is a gas with a chemical formula of CH4. ... A liquid will assume the shape of its container. ... This flume diverts water from the White River in Washington to generate electricity A flume is a waterwork with open water table, that leads water from a diversion weir completely aside a natural flow. ... Vapor (US English) or vapour (British English) is the gaseous state of matter. ... Titan may mean: Mythology Titan (mythology), giant divine beings who preceded the Olympian gods in Greek mythology Uranus (mythology), Roman deity sometimes referred to as Titan Asura, Hindu deities commonly translated as the titans Science Titan (moon), largest moon of the planet Saturn Titan (rocket family), a family of U...

Theories

Ganesa Macula, a dark feature on Saturn's moon Titan, might be a cryovolcanic dome.

The energy required to melt ices and produce cryovolcanoes usually comes from tidal friction. It has also been suggested that translucent deposits of frozen materials could create a sub-surface greenhouse effect that would accumulate the required heat. Image File history File links Ganesha Macula, a dark spot on Titan File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Image File history File links Ganesha Macula, a dark spot on Titan File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Atmospheric characteristics Atmospheric pressure 140 kPa Hydrogen >93% Helium >5% Methane 0. ... Atmospheric characteristics Pressure 146. ... It has been suggested that Tidal friction be merged into this article or section. ... A schematic representation of the exchanges of energy between outer space, the Earths atmosphere, and the Earth surface. ...

It is hypothesised that the Kuiper belt object Quaoar has exhibited cryovolcanism in the past. In this case, the source of energy would be radioactive decay. Artists rendering of the Kuiper Belt and hypothetical more distant Oort cloud. ... Artists impression by G. Bacon of STScI / NASA 50000 Quaoar (pronounced kwah·war, kwah·wor, or kwow·ur, Tongva ) [1] is a Trans-Neptunian object orbiting the Sun in the Edgeworth-Kuiper belt. ... Radioactive decay is the set of various processes by which unstable atomic nuclei emit subatomic particles (radiation). ...

Observations

Cryovolcanoes are found on icy moons. Ice volcanoes were first observed on Neptune's moon Triton during the Voyager 2 flyby in 1989. Indirect evidence of cryovolcanic activity was later observed on several other icy moons of our solar system, including Europa, Ganymede, and Enceladus. Icy moons are believed to be a common class of planetoids that have a surface mostly of ice, possibly with an ocean under the ice, and possibly including a rocky core of silicate or metallic rocks. ... Atmospheric characteristics Surface pressure ≫100 MPa Hydrogen - H2 80% ±3. ... Triton (trye-tÉ™n, IPA , Greek Τρίτων), or Neptune I, is the planet Neptunes largest moon. ... Voyager 2 is an unmanned interplanetary spacecraft. ... 1989 (MCMLXXXIX) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Icy moons are believed to be a common class of planetoids that have a surface mostly of ice, possibly with an ocean under the ice, and possibly including a rocky core of silicate or metallic rocks. ... Major features of the solar system (not to scale): The Sun, the eight planets, the asteroid belt, the dwarf planet Pluto, and a comet. ... Atmospheric characteristics Atmospheric pressure 1 µPa Oxygen 100% Europa redirects here. ... Atmospheric characteristics Atmospheric pressure trace Oxygen 100% Ganymede (gan-É™-meed, IPA: ; Greek Γανυμήδης) is Jupiters largest moon, and indeed the largest moon in the entire solar system; it is larger in diameter than Mercury but only about half its mass. ... [5] Atmospheric characteristics Pressure trace, significant spatial variability [6], [7] Water vapour 91% [8] Carbon dioxide 3. ...

Cassini Mission

Plumes above the limb of Enceladus feeding Saturn's E Ring. These appear to emanate from the "tiger stripes" near the south pole.

The Cassini-Huygens mission has found a methane-spewing cryovolcano on Titan, and such volcanism is now believed to be a significant source of the methane found in Titan's atmosphere. On November 27, 2005 Cassini photographed geysers on the south pole of Enceladus (See also: Cryovolcanism on Enceladus). Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1019x863, 99 KB) Summary Original Caption Released with Image Recent Cassini images of Saturns moon Enceladus backlit by the sun show the fountain-like sources of the fine spray of material that towers over the south polar region. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1019x863, 99 KB) Summary Original Caption Released with Image Recent Cassini images of Saturns moon Enceladus backlit by the sun show the fountain-like sources of the fine spray of material that towers over the south polar region. ... [5] Atmospheric characteristics Pressure trace, significant spatial variability [6], [7] Water vapour 91% [8] Carbon dioxide 3. ... Atmospheric characteristics Atmospheric pressure 140 kPa Hydrogen >93% Helium >5% Methane 0. ... E-Ring is a television military drama, created by David McKenna and executive produced by Jerry Bruckheimer, that premiered on NBC on September 21, 2005. ... Cassini-Huygens is a joint NASA/ESA/ASI unmanned space mission intended to study Saturn and its moons. ... Atmospheric characteristics Pressure 146. ... November 27 is the 331st day (332nd on leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Clepsydra Geyser in Yellowstone A geyser is a type of hot spring that erupts periodically, ejecting a column of hot water and steam into the air. ... [5] Atmospheric characteristics Pressure trace, significant spatial variability [6], [7] Water vapour 91% [8] Carbon dioxide 3. ... [5] Atmospheric characteristics Pressure trace, significant spatial variability [6], [7] Water vapour 91% [8] Carbon dioxide 3. ...

External links

• Triton - Triton at the Nine Planets
• South Pole of Triton - Triton at SolarViews.com
• Cryovolcanism - Article at the Encyclopedia of Astrobiology, Astronomy & Spaceflight
• Enceladus' South Polar Stripes Spew "Warm" Water - News article at the Planetary Society