Exploring The Ocean Worlds Of Our Solar System
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Exploring the Ocean Worlds of Our Solar System
In the past 25 years, planetary science has undergone a revolution with the discovery of vast oceans of liquid water within the icy moons of our Solar System. These subsurface oceans are concealed beneath thick ice layers. We refer to these moons and similar ocean-bearing planetary objects as ocean worlds. In this 2nd edition, we delve into and compare the latest scientific discoveries on 22 confirmed or potential ocean worlds, ranging from the giant asteroid Ceres and the icy moons Europa and Enceladus to the distant dwarf planets of the outer Solar System such as Pluto, Sedna, and Eris. Along the way, we explore the contributions of multiple spacecraft, such as the Pioneers, the Voyagers, Galileo, Cassini-Huygens, and many others, which have provided much of our current knowledge about these worlds, as well as the latest scientific research on this subject. This book also explores the potential for life on each of the confirmed ocean worlds evaluating their habitability. Ultimately, these might hold the key to answering fundamental questions about life: How did life begin? Is there life beyond Earth? Where do we come from? With contributions from leading planetary scientists at NASA, ESA, and other institutions, this book aims to be the definitive reference for anyone interested in this captivating subject.
Alien Oceans
Author: Kevin Hand
language: en
Publisher: Princeton University Press
Release Date: 2020-04-07
Inside the epic quest to find life on the water-rich moons at the outer reaches of the solar system Where is the best place to find life beyond Earth? We often look to Mars as the most promising site in our solar system, but recent scientific missions have revealed that some of the most habitable real estate may actually lie farther away. Beneath the frozen crusts of several of the small, ice-covered moons of Jupiter and Saturn lurk vast oceans that may have existed for as long as Earth, and together may contain more than fifty times its total volume of liquid water. Could there be organisms living in their depths? Alien Oceans reveals the science behind the thrilling quest to find out. Kevin Peter Hand is one of today's leading NASA scientists, and his pioneering research has taken him on expeditions around the world. In this captivating account of scientific discovery, he brings together insights from planetary science, biology, and the adventures of scientists like himself to explain how we know that oceans exist within moons of the outer solar system, like Europa, Titan, and Enceladus. He shows how the exploration of Earth's oceans is informing our understanding of the potential habitability of these icy moons, and draws lessons from what we have learned about the origins of life on our own planet to consider how life could arise on these distant worlds. Alien Oceans describes what lies ahead in our search for life in our solar system and beyond, setting the stage for the transformative discoveries that may await us.
Exploring the Ocean Worlds of Our Solar System
In the last 25 years, planetary science experienced a revolution, as vast oceans of liquid water have been discovered within the heart of the icy moons of our Solar System. These subsurface oceans lie hidden under thick layers of ice. We call them ocean worlds. Some of these icy moons, such as Ganymede, may hold two to three times more liquid water than all the water present on Earth, while others, such as Enceladus and Europa, are thought by astrobiologists to be our best hope of finding extraterrestrial life. In this book, we will explore and compare a variety of Solar System ocean worlds, meeting in the process 22 of the most intriguing objects, from the giant asteroid Ceres to the enigmatic, distant Sedna. In doing so, we will also encounter the multiple spacecraft that brought back most of what we know of these worlds (Pioneers, Voyagers, Cassini-Huygens, etc.), as well as the latest scientific research on this new topic. We will also entertain the possibility of life on each of these ocean worlds by assessing their habitability, as ultimately, these ocean worlds might hold the key to answering the fundamental questions in life: How did life appear? Where do we come from? Is there life out there? With the contributions of leading planetary scientists from NASA, ESA, and other institutions, this book aims to be the go-to reference for anyone wanting to know more about this fascinating topic.