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The outer H2O ice shell of Europa, a Galilean satellite of Jupiter thought to exhibit a global interior water ocean, shows evidence for plate-like surface motions along tectonic boundaries. In this study, we investigate whether forces similar to those that drive plate tectonics on Earth may drive plate motions on icy satellites. We focus on whether the forces of slab pull and ridge push, driven by thermal and compositional buoyancy, can overcome the mechanical forces resisting plate motions to sustain interaction between surface ice and the interior ocean. We find that Earth-like plate tectonics is implausible within the outer ice shell of icy satellites because the forces resisting self-sustaining plate cycling are of significantly greater order than the driving forces. In the case of Ganymede and Triton, if it has a thick shell, plate tectonics would require warm, low-viscosity slabs to remain intact for timescales that are orders of magnitude longer than those of interior convection.

High-resolution Galileo data of Ganymede's complex surface provide strong and ubiquitous evidence of strike-slip motion: en echelon structures, strike-slip duplexes, laterally offset pre-existing features, and strained craters. In a previous study, we performed a detailed mapping of these strike-slip morphologies within nine regions of Ganymede: Dardanus Sulcus, Tiamat Sulcus, Nun Sulci, Byblus Sulcus, Nippur and Philus Sulci, the Transitional Terrain of Northern Marius Regio, Anshar Sulcus, Arbela Sulcus, and Uruk Sulcus. Strike-slip indicators were inferred in various combinations at each site, in addition to extensional processes. However, the prominence of strike-slip indicators suggests shearing has been an important process to the structural development of Ganymede's surface. Moreover, tidal stresses on Ganymede, under particular circumstances, may have been sufficient to induce Coulomb failure and generate strike-slip faulting. Here we investigate the role of both diurnal and non-synchronous rotation (NSR) tidal stresses on Ganymede using the numerical code SatStress. We resolve normal and shear tractions onto discrete fault segments of specified orientation and assess Coulomb failure potential for the nine inferred fault zones. Testing a range of subsurface fault depths (z = 0–5 km) and ice friction (μf = 0.2–0.6), we find that tidal stress models of combined diurnal and NSR stress readily promote Coulomb failure within each studied fault zone. High friction (μf = 0.6) limits failure depths to ∼1 km, while low friction (μf = 0.2) extends failure depths to ∼2 km, consistent with elastic thickness estimates. We also compare each fault zone's predicted shear sense to the inferred shear sense from our structural mapping efforts and find compatible senses of shear among six of the nine regions that exhibit notable fault offset and/or prevalent inferences of en echelon, duplexes, and strained craters. In addition, principal stress orientations and failure feasibility computed on a global scale suggest that combined diurnal and NSR tidal stresses promote Coulomb failure within the shallow (

The 27 satellites of Uranus are enigmatic, with dark surfaces coated by material that could be rich in organics. Voyager 2 imaged the southern hemispheres of Uranus' five largest 'classical' moons Miranda, Ariel, Umbriel, Titania, and Oberon, as well as the largest ring moon Puck, but their northern hemispheres were largely unobservable at the time of the flyby and were not imaged. Additionally, no spatially resolved datasets exist for the other 21 known moons, and their surface properties are essentially unknown. Because Voyager 2 was not equipped with a near-infrared mapping spectrometer, our knowledge of the Uranian moons' surface compositions, and the processes that modify them, is limited to disk-integrated datasets collected by ground- and space-based telescopes. Nevertheless, images collected by the Imaging Science System on Voyager 2 and reflectance spectra collected by telescope facilities indicate that the five classical moons are candidate ocean worlds that might currently have, or had, liquid subsurface layers beneath their icy surfaces. To determine whether these moons are ocean worlds, and investigate Uranus' ring moons and irregular satellites, close-up observations and measurements made by instruments onboard a Uranus orbiter are needed., Accepted in AAS Planetary Science Journal. arXiv admin note: text overlap with arXiv:2007.07284

Several large ridges, termed dorsa, stand over 800 m above their surroundings in a region centered on the trailing hemisphere of Saturn's icy moon Enceladus. In map view, these dorsa are linear to curvilinear, 20 km to more than 50 km long, and display near-orthogonal trends. They cross-cut (are younger than) most other geological features in the region. High-resolution limb profiles show the dorsa to be asymmetric in cross-sectioned profile and 5–6 km in width, and high-resolution images show striations along their crests. The structure and morphology of the dorsa suggest they are thrust blocks, possibly analogous to lobate scarps or wrinkle-ridges found on the terrestrial planets. The low slopes of their backlimbs and steeper forelimbs, suggest the dorsa were formed as wrinkle ridges or lobate scarps overlying thrust faults that penetrate 1–4 km deep to a detachment, most likely at the brittle-ductile transition (BDT). Their near-orthogonal trends are consistent with biaxial horizontal shortening. These relationships suggest that the central trailing hemisphere was recently subjected to a relatively high heat flow at the time that deformation occurred.

The heavily fractured surface of Ganymede displays many morphologically distinctive regions of inferred distributed shear and strike-slip faulting that may be important to the structural development of its surface. To better understand the role of strike-slip tectonism in shaping this complex icy surface, we perform detailed mapping at nine sites using Galileo and Voyager imagery, noting key examples of strike-slip morphologies where present. These four morphological indicators are: en echelon structures, strike-slip duplexes, laterally offset pre-existing features, and possible strained craters. We map sites of both light, grooved terrain (Nun Sulci, Dardanus Sulcus, Tiamat Sulcus, Uruk Sulcus, and Arbela Sulcus), and terrains that are transitional from dark to light terrains (Nippur and Philus Sulci, Byblus Sulcus, Anshar Sulcus, and the Transitional Terrain of Northern Marius Regio). At least one, if not more, of the four strike-slip morphological indicators are observed at every site, suggesting strike-slip tectonism is indeed important to Ganymede's evolutionary history. Byblus Sulcus is the only mapped site where the presence of strike-slip indicators is limited to only a few en echelon structures; every other mapped site displays examples of at least two types, with Arbela Sulcus containing candidate examples of all four. In addition, quantification of morphological characteristics suggests related rotation between sites, as evidenced by the predominant NW/SE trend of mapped features within the light terrain present in five different sites (Nun, Tiamat, Uruk, Nippur/Philus, Byblus, and Anshar Sulcus). Moreover, incorporation of strike-slip tectonism with pre-existing observations of extensional behavior provides an improved, synoptic representation of Ganymede's tectonic history.

The young ( Greeley et al., 2000 )—during the E12 flyby of Europa in Dec. 1997. This dataset is now two decades old, but it has not been analyzed in detail until this work. Despite the largely different viewing and lighting conditions, we mosaic these high-resolution frames into the 220 m/pixel regional context frame. We then perform geomorphologic mapping of the high-resolution image mosaic and the regional image frame, for comparison, and we also create a structural map of the high-resolution image mosaic. The units in the geomorphologic map are defined by surface texture, landform shape (morphology), dimension, and relative albedo. The structural map units include interpretations from the geomorphologic map units and their interpretation implies potential kinematic processes for the formation of particular structures. Our primary mapping observations include the regular spacing and gentle slopes of the ridge-and-trough terrain, the sharp boundaries and preserved structures of the chaos terrain, and the symmetry but irregular size of double ridges. We then evaluate proposed formation mechanisms for these and other mapped features. The high-resolution images also reveal an abundance of small (

Enceladus is the first outer solar system body on which pit chains have been positively identified. We map the global distribution of pit chains and show that pit chains are among the youngest tectonic features on Enceladus's surface, concentrated in the cratered plains centered on Enceladus's Saturnian and anti-Saturnian hemispheres. Pit chains on Enceladus are interpreted as the surface expressions of subsurface dilational fractures underlying a cover of unconsolidated material, which we infer to be a geologically young cover of loose regolith that mantles the surface of Enceladus. A widespread layer of regolith may act to insulate the surface, which has implications for the thermal state of Enceladus's ice shell. The widespread distribution of pit chains across the cratered plains indicates that this ancient surface has recently been tectonically active.

Radar probing of Jovian icy satellites is fundamental for understanding the moons' origin and their thermal evolution as potential habitable environments in our Solar System. Using the current state of knowledge of the geological and geophysical properties of Ganymede, Europa and Callisto, we perform a comprehensive radar detectability study to quantify the exploration depth and the lower limit for subsurface identification of water and key tectonic structural elements. To achieve these objectives, we establish parametric dielectric models that reflect different hypotheses on the formation and thermal evolution of each moon. The models are then used for FDTD radar propagation simulations at the 9-MHz sounding frequency proposed for both ESA JUICE and NASA Europa missions. We investigate the detectability above the galactic noise level of four predominant subsurface features: brittle-ductile interfaces, shallow faults, brine aquifers, and the hypothesized global oceans. For Ganymede, our results suggest that the brittle-ductile interface could be within radar detectability range in the bright terrains, but is more challenging for the dark terrains. Moreover, understanding the slope variation of the brittle-ductile interface is possible after clutter reduction and focusing. For Europa, the detection of shallow subsurface structural elements few kilometers deep (such as fractures, faults and brine lenses) is achievable and not compromised by surface clutter. The objective of detecting the potential deep global ocean on Europa is also doable under both the convective and conductive hypotheses. Finally, for Callisto, radar waves can achieve an average penetration depth of ∼15 km, although the current understanding of Callisto's subsurface dielectric properties does not suggest sufficiently strong contrasts to produce unambiguous radar returns.

Chaos terrains are among the most prominent landforms of Europa, and are generally among the youngest features recorded on the surface. Chaos units were formed by to endogenic activity, maybe related to solid-state convection and thermal diapirism in the ice shell, perhaps aided by melting of salt-rich ice bodies below the surface. In this work, we analyze the different units of chaotic terrain in a portion of Argadnel Regio, a region located on the anti-Jovian hemisphere of Europa, and their possible timing in the general stratigraphic framework of this satellite. Two different chaos units can be differentiated, based on surface texture, morphology, and cross-cutting relationships with other units, and from interpretations based on pre-existing surface restoration through elimination of a low albedo band. The existence of two stratigraphically different chaos units implies that conditions for chaos formation occurred during more than a single discreet time on Europa, at least in Argadnel Regio, and perhaps in other places. The existence of older chaos units on Europa might be related to convective episodes possibly favored by local conditions in the icy shell, such as variations in grain size, abundance of non-water ice-components, or regional thickness of the brittle lithosphere or the entire ice shell.

We present the first mechanical analysis based on realistic rheology and boundary conditions on the formation of evenly spaced strike-slip faults. Two quantitative models employing the stress-shadow concept, widely used for explaining extensional-joint spacing, are proposed in this study: (1) an empirically based stress-rise-function model that simulates the brittle-deformation process during the formation of evenly spaced parallel strike-slip faults, and (2) an elastic plate model that relates fault spacing to the thickness of the fault-hosting elastic medium. When applying the models for the initiation and development of the tiger-stripe fractures (TSF) in the South Polar Terrain (SPT) of Enceladus, the mutually consistent solutions of the two models, as constrained by the mean spacing of the TSF at ∼35 km, requires that the brittle ice-shell thickness be ∼30 km, the elastic thickness be ∼0.7 km, and the cohesive strength of the SPT ice shell be ∼30 kPa. However, if the brittle and elastic models are decoupled and if the ice-shell cohesive strength is on the order of ∼1 MPa, the brittle ice shell would be on the order of ∼10 km.

Europa's young surface implies relatively recent resurfacing. Ridged plains, which make up >50% of Europa's surface, have not yet been fully analyzed for a potential formation mechanism. Because ridged plains dominate Europa's surface, this terrain is key to understanding how Europa has resurfaced and how the resurfacing mechanisms may have evolved through time. In this work, we create a new high-resolution topographic model and a two-layer physical analog model to investigate the formation of ridged plains. We find that the ridged plains most closely resemble the compressional physical analog experiments which generate folds. Specifically, the analog experiments with a brittle layer ~3000 m. Compared to the predicted current ice shell thickness, this would imply that Europa's ice-shell has thickened through the visible surface history.

Despite a decade of intense research the mechanical origin of the tiger-stripe fractures (TSF) and their geologic relationship to the hosting South Polar Terrain (SPT) of Enceladus remain poorly understood. Here we show via systematic photo-geological mapping that the semi-squared SPT is bounded by right-slip, left-slip, extensional, and contractional zones on its four edges. Discrete deformation along the edges in turn accommodates translation of the SPT as a single sheet with its transport direction parallel to the regional topographic gradient. This parallel relationship implies that the gradient of gravitational potential energy drove the SPT motion. In map view, internal deformation of the SPT is expressed by distributed right-slip shear parallel to the SPT transport direction. The broad right-slip shear across the whole SPT was facilitated by left-slip bookshelf faulting along the parallel TSF. We suggest that the flow-like tectonics, to the first approximation across the SPT on Enceladus, is best explained by the occurrence of a transient thermal event, which allowed the release of gravitational potential energy via lateral viscous flow within the thermally weakened ice shell.

The cameras of New Horizons will provide robust data sets that should be imminently amenable to geological analysis of the Pluto system’s landscapes. In this paper, we begin with a brief discussion of the planned observations by the New Horizons cameras that will bear most directly on geological interpretability. Then we broadly review the major geological processes that could potentially operate on the surfaces of Pluto and its major moon Charon. We first survey exogenic processes (i.e. those for which energy for surface modification is supplied externally to the planetary surface): impact cratering, sedimentary processes (including volatile migration), and the work of wind. We conclude with an assessment of the prospects for endogenic activity in the form of tectonics and cryovolcanism.

Previous analyses of Galileo images showed the small (≈1 km and smaller) crater population on Callisto to be lower than had been expected (Moore, J.M. et al. [1999]. Icarus 140, 294–312; Bierhaus E.B. et al. [2000]. Lunar Planet. Sci. 31. Abstract #1996). In this paper we examine the small crater population using high-resolution imagery from Callisto flybys during Galileo orbits C3, C10, C21, and C30, including several C30 regions not previously analyzed. Our findings confirm that most small craters are depleted relative to a presumed equilibrium of R = 0.22, and we find that there is significant variability in the small crater counts. While some of the variability in the small crater population on Callisto can be attributed to secondary cratering, some variability also may be explained by resetting of portions of Callisto’s surface by larger impactors. This is expected where the differential size frequency distribution of the crater production population b b represents the exponent of a differential power-law crater-size distribution), such that large impacts affect a greater planetary surface area than smaller craters.

Missions to explore Europa have been imagined ever since the Voyager mission first suggested that Europa was geologically very young. Subsequently, the Galileo spacecraft supplied fascinating new insights into this satellite of Jupiter. Now, an international team is proposing a return to the Jupiter system and Europa with the Europa Jupiter System Mission (EJSM). Currently, NASA and ESA are designing two orbiters that would explore the Jovian system and then each would settle into orbit around one of Jupiter’s icy satellites, Europa and Ganymede. In addition, the Japanese Aerospace eXploration Agency (JAXA) is considering a Jupiter magnetospheric orbiter and the Russian Space Agency is investigating a Europa lander. The Jupiter Europa Orbiter (JEO) would be the NASA-led portion of the EJSM; JEO would address a very important subset of the complete EJSM science objectives and is designed to function alone or in conjunction with ESA’s Jupiter Ganymede Orbiter (JGO). The JEO mission concept uses a single orbiter flight system that would travel to Jupiter by means of a multiple-gravity-assist trajectory and then perform a multi-year study of Europa and the Jupiter system, including 30 months of Jupiter system science and a comprehensive Europa orbit phase of 9 months. The JEO mission would investigate various options for future surface landings. The JEO mission science objectives, as defined by the international EJSM Science Definition Team, include: A. Europa’s ocean: Characterize the extent of the ocean and its relation to the deeper interior. B. Europa’s ice shell: Characterize the ice shell and any subsurface water, including their heterogeneity, and the nature of surface–ice–ocean exchange. C. Europa’s chemistry: Determine global surface compositions and chemistry, especially as related to habitability. D. Europa’s geology: Understand the formation of surface features, including sites of recent or current activity, and identify and characterize candidate sites for future in situ exploration. E. Jupiter system: Understand Europa in the context of the Jupiter system. The JEO orbital mission would provide critical measurements to support the scientific and technical selection of future landed options. The primary challenge of a Europa mission is to perform in Jupiter’s radiation environment, radiation damage being the life-limiting parameter for the flight system. Instilling a system-level radiation-hardened-by-design approach very early in the mission concept would mitigate the pervasive mission and system-level impacts (including trajectory, configuration, fault protection, operational scenarios, and circuit design) that can otherwise result in runaway growth of cost and mass. This paper addresses the JEO mission concept developed by a joint team from JPL and the Applied Physics Laboratory to address the science objectives defined by an international science definition team formed in 2008, while designing for the Jupiter environment.

From 2007 the Russian Academy of Sciences and Roscosmos consider to develop a Europa surface element, in coordination with the Europa Jupiter System Mission (EJSM) international project planned to study the Jupiter system. The main scientific objectives of the Europa Lander are to search for the signatures of possible present and extinct life, in situ studies of the Europa internal structure, the surface and the environment. The mission includes the lander, and the relay orbiter, to be launched by Proton and carried to Jupiter with electric propulsion. The mass of scientific instruments on the lander is ∼50 kg, and its planned lifetime is 60 days. A dedicated international Europa Lander Workshop (ELW) was held in Moscow in February 2009. Following the ELW materials and few recent developments, the paper describes the planned mission, including the science goals, technical design of the mission elements, the ballistic scheme, and the synergy between the Europa Lander and the EJSM.

Foreword.- Preface.- Environments in the Outer Solar System.- Characteristics of Icy Surfaces.- Chemical Composition of Icy Satellite Surfaces.- Atmospheric/Exospheric Characteristics of Icy Satellites.- Phase Behaviour of Ices and Hydrates.- Spectroscopy of Icy Moon Surface Materials.- Radar Signal Propagation and Detection Through Ice.- Rheological and Thermal Properties of Icy Materials.- Radiolysis and Photolysis of Icy Satellite Surfaces: Experiments and Theory.- Implications of Rotation, Orbital States, Energy Sources, and Heat Transport for Internal Processes in Icy Satellites.- Effects of the External Environment on Icy Satellites.- Surface, Subsurface and Atmosphere Exchanges on the Satellites of the Outer Solar System.- From Gas to Satellitesimals: Disk Formation and Evolution.- Planetesimals and Satellitesimals: Formation of the Satellite Systems.- Evolution of Icy Satellites.- Subsurface Water Oceans on Icy Satellites: Chemical Composition and Exchange Processes.- Exobiology and Planetary Protection of icy moons.

The surfaces of the Solar System’s icy satellites show an extraordinary variety of morphological features, which bear witness to exchange processes between the surface and subsurface. In this paper we review the characteristics of surface features on the moons of Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune. Using data from spacecraft missions, we discuss the detailed morphology, size, and topography of cryovolcanic, tectonic, aeolian, fluvial, and impact features of both large moons and smaller satellites.

We have compiled a global geological map of Ganymede that represents the most recent understanding of the satellite based on Galileo mission results. This contribution builds on important previous accomplishments in the study of Ganymede utilizing Voyager data and incorporates the many new discoveries that were brought about by examination of Galileo data. We discuss the material properties of geological units defined utilizing a global mosaic of the surface with a nominal resolution of 1 km/pixel assembled by the USGS with the best available Voyager and Galileo regional coverage and high resolution imagery (100–200 m/pixel) of characteristic features and terrain types obtained by the Galileo spacecraft. We also use crater density measurements obtained from our mapping efforts to examine age relationships amongst the various defined units. These efforts have resulted in a more complete understanding of the major geological processes operating on Ganymede, especially the roles of cryovolcanic and tectonic processes in the formation of might materials. They have also clarified the characteristics of the geological units that comprise the satellite’s surface, the stratigraphic relationships of those geological units and structures, and the geological history inferred from those relationships. For instance, the characteristics and stratigraphic relationships of dark lineated material and reticulate material suggest they represent an intermediate stage between dark cratered material and light material units.

The state of knowledge about the structure and composition of icy satellite interiors has been significantly extended by combining direct measurements from spacecraft, laboratory experiments, and theoretical modeling. The existence of potentially habitable liquid water reservoirs on icy satellites is dependent on the radiogenic heating of the rock component, additional contributions such as the dissipation of tidal energy, the efficiency of heat transfer to the surface, and the presence of substances that deplete the freezing point of liquid water. This review summarizes the chemical evolution of subsurface liquid water oceans, taking into account a number of chemical processes occuring in aqueous environments and partly related to material exchange with the deep interior. Of interest are processes occuring at the transitions from the liquid water layer to the ice layers above and below, involving the possible formation of clathrate hydrates and high-pressure ices on large icy satellites. In contrast, water-rock exchange is important for the chemical evolution of the liquid water layer if the latter is in contact with ocean floor rock on small satellites. The composition of oceanic floor deposits depends on ambient physical conditions and ocean chemistry, and their evolutions through time. In turn, physical properties of the ocean floor affect the circulation of oceanic water and related thermal effects due to tidally-induced porous flow and aqueous alteration of ocean floor rock.

Galileo spacecraft data suggest that a global ocean exists beneath the frozen ice surface Jupiter's moon Europa. Since the early 1970s, planetary scientists have used theoretical and observational arguments to deliberate the existence of an ocean within Europa and other large icy satellites. Galileo magnetometry data indicates an induced magnetic field at Europa, implying a salt water ocean. A paucity of large craters argues for a surface on average only ~40-90 Myr old. Two multi-ring structures suggest that impacts punched through an ice shell ~20 km thick. Europa's ocean and surface are inherently linked through tidal deformation of the floating ice shell, and tidal flexing and nonsynchronous rotation generate stresses that fracture and deform the surface to create ridges and bands. Dark spots, domes, and chaos terrain are probably related to tidally driven ice convection along with partial melting within the ice shell. Europa's geological activity and probable mantle contact permit the chemical ingredients necessary for life to be present within the satellite's ocean. Astonishing geology and high astrobiological potential make Europa a top priority for future spacecraft exploration, with a primary goal of assessing its habitability.

The tidal stress at the surface of a satellite is derived from the gravitational potential of the satellite's parent planet, assuming that the satellite is fully differentiated into a silicate core, a global subsurface ocean, and a decoupled, viscoelastic lithospheric shell. We consider two types of time variability for the tidal force acting on the shell: one caused by the satellite's eccentric orbit within the planet's gravitational field (diurnal tides), and one due to nonsynchronous rotation (NSR) of the shell relative to the satellite's core, which is presumed to be tidally locked. In calculating surface stresses, this method allows the Love numbers h and l, describing the satellite's tidal response, to be specified independently; it allows the use of frequency-dependent viscoelastic rheologies (e.g. a Maxwell solid); and its mathematical form is amenable to the inclusion of stresses due to individual tides. The lithosphere can respond to NSR forcing either viscously or elastically depending on the value of the parameter Δ ≡ μ η ω , where μ and η are the shear modulus and viscosity of the shell respectively, and ω is the NSR forcing frequency. Δ is proportional to the ratio of the forcing period to the viscous relaxation time. When Δ ≫ 1 the response is nearly fluid; when Δ ≪ 1 it is nearly elastic. In the elastic case, tensile stresses due to NSR on Europa can be as large as ∼ 3.3 MPa , which dominate the ∼ 50 kPa stresses predicted to result from Europa's diurnal tides. The faster the viscous relaxation the smaller the NSR stresses, such that diurnal stresses dominate when Δ ≳ 100 . Given the uncertainty in current estimates of the NSR period and of the viscosity of Europa's ice shell, it is unclear which tide should be dominant. For Europa, tidal stresses are relatively insensitive both to the rheological structure beneath the ice layer and to the thickness of the icy shell. The phase shift between the tidal potential and the resulting stresses increases with Δ. This shift can displace the NSR stresses longitudinally by as much as 45° in the direction opposite of the satellite's rotation.

Straddling the south polar region of Saturn's moon Enceladus, the four principal “tiger stripe” fractures are a likely source of tectonic activity and plume generation. Here we investigate tidally driven stress conditions at the tiger stripe fractures through a combined analysis of shear and normal diurnal tidal stresses and accounting for additional stress at depth due to the overburden pressure. We compute Coulomb failure conditions to assess failure location, timing, and direction (right- vs left-lateral slip) throughout the Enceladus orbital cycle and explore a suite of model parameters that inhibit or promote shear failure at the tiger stripes. We find that low coefficients of friction ( μ f = 0.1 – 0.2 ) and shallow overburden depths ( z = 2 – 4 km ) permit shear failure along the tiger stripe faults, and that right- and/or left-lateral slip responses are possible. We integrate these conditions into a 3D time-dependent fault dislocation model to evaluate tectonic displacements and stress variations at depth during a tiger stripe orbital cycle. Depending on the sequence of stress accumulation and subsequent fault slip, which varies as a function of fault location and orientation, frictional coefficient, and fault depth, we estimate resolved shear stress accumulation of ∼70 kPa prior to fault failure, which produces modeled strike-slip displacements on the order of ∼0.5 m in the horizontal direction and ∼5 mm in the vertical direction per slip event. Our models also indicate that net displacements on the order of 0.1 m per orbital cycle, in both right- and left-lateral directions, are possible for particular fault geometries and frictional parameters. Tectonic activity inferred from these analyses correlates with observed plume activity and temperature anomalies at Enceladus's south polar region. Moreover, these analyses provide important details of stress accumulation and the faulting cycle for icy satellites subjected to diurnal tidal stress.

Since their discovery in Voyager images, the origin of the bright polar caps of Ganymede has intrigued investigators. Some models attributed the polar cap formation to thermal migration of water vapor to higher latitudes, while other models implicated plasma bombardment in brightening ice. Only with the arrival of Galileo at Jupiter was it apparent that Ganymede possesses a strong internal magnetic field, which blocks most of the plasma from bombarding the satellite's equatorial region while funneling plasma onto the polar regions. This discovery provides a plausible explanation for the polar caps as related to differences in plasma-induced brightening in the polar and the equatorial regions. In this context, we analyze global color and high resolution images of Ganymede obtained by Galileo, finding a very close correspondence between the observed polar cap boundary and the open/closed field lines boundary obtained from new modeling of the magnetic field environment. This establishes a clear link between plasma bombardment and polar cap brightening. High resolution images show that bright polar terrain is segregated into bright and dark patches, suggesting sputter-induced redistribution and subsequent cold trapping of water molecules. Minor differences between the location of the open/closed field lines boundary and the observed polar cap boundary may be due to interaction of Ganymede with Jupiter's magnetosphere, and our neglect of higher-order terms in modeling Ganymede's internal field. We postulate that leading-trailing brightness differences in Ganymede's low-latitude surface are due to enhanced plasma flux onto the leading hemisphere, rather than darkening of the trailing hemisphere. In contrast to Ganymede, the entire surface of Europa is bombarded by jovian plasma, suggesting that sputter-induced redistribution of water molecules is a viable means of brightening that satellite's surface.

The global shape of Europa is controlled by tidal and rotational potentials and possibly by lateral variations in ice shell thickness. We use limb proles from four Galileo images to determine the best-t hydrostatic shape, yielding a mean radius of 1560.8 ‐ 0.3 km and a radius difference a a c of 3.0 ‐ 0.9 km, consistent with previous determinations and inferences from gravity observations. Adding long-wavelength topography due to proposed lateral variations in shell thickness results in poorer ts to the limb proles. We conclude that lateral shell thickness variations and long-wavelength isostatically supported topographic variations do not exceed 7 and 0.7 km, respectively. For the range of rheologies investigated (basal viscosities from 10 14 to 10 15 Pa s) the maximum permissible (conductive) shell thickness is 35 km. The relative uniformity of Europais shell thickness is due to either a heat ux 7m W m a 2 from the silicate interior, lateral ice o w at the base of the shell, or convection within the shell.

A mid-ocean-ridge spreading analog is used to constrain the opening rates and brittle–ductile transition depths for two axisymmetric ridged bands on Europa. Estimates of brittle–ductile transition depth based on the morphologies of Yelland and Ino Lineae are combined with a conductive cooling model based on a mid-ocean ridge analog to estimate the opening rates and active lifetimes of the bands. This model limits local strain rates to ∼10 −15 –10 −12 s −1 , opening rates to 0.2–40 mm yr −1 , and active lifetimes of the bands to 0.1–30 Myr. If the observed structures in the outer portions of ridged bands are indeed normal faults, the estimated range for the tensile strength of ice on Europa

A fracture mechanics model is developed for the initiation and propagation of a crack through a porous ice layer of finite thickness under gravitational overburden. It is found that surface cracks generated in response to a tidally induced stress field may penetrate through the entire outer brittle layer if a subsurface ocean is present on Europa. Such penetration is found to be very unlikely in the absence of an ocean. A cycloidal crack would then form as a sequence of near instantaneous discrete failures, each extending roughly the brittle layer thickness in range, linked with a much lower apparent propagation speed set by the moving tidal stress field. The implications of this porous ice fracture model for ice-penetrating radar scattering loss and seismic activity are quantified.

Europa's interior structure may be determined by relatively simple and robust seismo-acoustic echo sounding techniques. The strategy is to use ice cracking events or impacts that are hypothesized to occur regularly on Europa's surface as sources of opportunity. A single passive geophone on Europa's surface may then be used to estimate the thickness of its ice shell and the depth of its ocean by measuring the travel time of seismo-acoustic reflections from the corresponding internal strata. Quantitative analysis is presented with full-field seismo-acoustic modeling of the Europan environment. This includes models for Europan ambient noise and conditions on signal-to-noise ratio necessary for the proposed technique to be feasible. The possibility of determining Europa's ice layer thickness by surface wave and modal analysis with a single geophone is also investigated.

Palimpsests are large, circular, low-relief impact scars on Ganymede and Callisto. These structures were poorly understood based on Voyager-era analysis, but high-resolution Galileo images allow more detailed inspection. We analyze images of four Ganymedean palimpsests targeted by Galileo: Memphis and Buto Faculae, Epigeus, and Zakar. Ganymedean craters and Europan ring structures are used as tools to help better understand palimpsests, based on morphologic similarities. From analysis of Galileo images, palimpsests consist of four surface units: central plains, an unoriented massif facies, a concentric massif facies, and outer deposits. Using as a tie point the location in these structures where secondary craters begin to appear, outer deposits of palimpsests are analogous to the outer ejecta facies of craters; the concentric massif facies of palimpsests are analogous to the pedestal facies of craters; and the unoriented massif facies and central plains are analogous to crater interiors. These analogies are supported by the presence of buried preexisting structure beneath the outer two and absence of buried structure beneath the inner two units. Our observations indicate that palimpsest deposits represent fluidized impact ejecta, rather than cryovolcanic deposits or ancient crater interiors.

International audience; Saturn's moons, Titan and Enceladus, are two of the Solar System's most enigmatic bodies and are prime targets for future space exploration. Titan provides an analogue for many processes relevant to the Earth, more generally to outer Solar System bodies, and a growing host of newly discovered icy exoplanets. Processes represented include: atmospheric dynamics, complex organic chemistry, meteorological cycles (with methane as a working fluid), astrobiology, surface liquids and lakes, geology, fluvial and aeolian erosion, and interactions with an external plasma environment. In addition, exploring Enceladus over multiple targeted flybys will give us a unique opportunity to further study the most active icy moon in our Solar System as revealed by Cassini and to analyse in situ its active plume with highly capable instrumentation addressing its complex chemistry and dynamics. Enceladus' plume likely represents the most accessible samples from an extra-terrestrial liquid water environment in the Solar system, which has far reaching implications for many areas of planetary and biological science. Titan with its massive atmosphere and Enceladus with its active plume are prime planetary objects in the Outer Solar System to perform in situ investigations. In the present paper, we describe the science goals and key measurements to be performed by a future exploration mission involving a Saturn-Titan orbiter and a Titan balloon, which was proposed to ESA in response to the call for definition of the science themes of the next Large-class mission in 2013. The mission scenario is built around three complementary science goals: (A) Titan as an Earth-like system; (B) Enceladus as an active cryovolcanic moon; and (C) Chemistry of Titan and Enceladus – clues for the origin of life. The proposed measurements would provide a step change in our understanding of planetary processes and evolution, with many orders of magnitude improvement in temporal, spatial, and chemical resolution over that which is possible with Cassini-Huygens. This mission concept builds upon the successes of Cassini-Huygens and takes advantage of previous mission heritage in both remote sensing and in-situ measurement technologies.

During the Galileo Europa Mission (GEM), impact features on Europa were observed with improved resolution and coverage was compared with Voyager or the Galileo nominal mission. We surveyed all primary impact features >4 km in diameter seen on Europa (through orbit E19). The transition from simple to complex crater morphology occurs at a diameter of about 5 km. We calculated the transient crater dimensions and excavation depths of all craters surveyed. The largest impact feature (Tyre) probably had a transient crater depth between 5 and 10 km and transported material to the surface from a depth of not greater than ∼4 km. Craters

We investigate cryomagmatic mechanisms for the formation of the diffuse low-albedo margins of triple bands and haloes associated with elliptical lenticulae on Europa. One mechanism involves explosive venting of a gas-particle spray derived from a subsurface body of volatile-bearing water. Assuming the dark features represent cryoclastic deposits erupted from a medial or central vent, modeling the dynamics of the eruptive plumes indicates that eruption velocities of 30 to 250 m s−1 and volatile contents of 0.1 to 20 wt% are required to produce deposits having the observed dimensions. Calculated heights for ballistic plumes range from

During Galileo's G7 orbit, the Solid State Imaging (SSI) camera acquired pictures of the spacecraft shadow point on Europa's surface as well as a comparison set of images showing the same geographic region at phase angle α = 5°. Coverage, obtained at three spectral bandpasses (VLT, 0.41 μm, GRN, 0.56 μm; and 1MC, 0.99 μm) at a spatial resolution of 404 m/pixel, shows a 162 × 220-km region of Europa's surface located at 30°N, 162°W. We have used these images to measure the near-opposition spectrophotometric behavior of four primary europan terrain materials: IR-bright icy material, IR-dark icy material, dark lineament material, and dark spot material. The high spatial resolution of the G7 images reveal low-albedo materials in dark spots that are among the darkest features (17% albedo at 0.56 μm and 5° phase) yet found on icy Galilean satellites. While material of comparable albedo is found on Ganymede and Callisto, low-albedo europan materials are much redder. All europan surface materials exhibit an opposition effect; however, the strength of the effect, as measured by the total increase in reflectance as phase angle decreases from α = 5° to α = 0°, varies among terrains. The opposition effects of IR-bright icy and IR-dark icy materials which dominate Europa's surface are about 1.5 times larger than predicted from pre-Galileo studies. Low-albedo materials in dark spots exhibit unusually intense opposition effects (up to four times larger than bright icy europan terrains), consistent with the presence of a strong shadow-hiding opposition surge. The strengths of the opposition surges among average europan terrains systematically vary with terrain albedo and can be explained in terms of the simultaneous contributions of shadow-hiding and coherent-backscatter to the total opposition effect. Coherent backscatter introduces a narrow angular contribution (

Four distinct classes of lineaments can be described on the basis of Galileo's improved spectral and spatial coverage of Europa: (1) incipient cracks are narrow ( The morphologies, spectral properties, and orientations of the lineaments vary systematically with age, suggesting that these four classes represent different stages of development in an evolutionary sequence. Lineament formation appears to be the dominant resurfacing mechanism on Europa, and every landscape that has escaped erasure by heating from below is imprinted with generation after generation of intersecting ridges at various scales and orientations. Relatively recent fractures expose coarse-grained, clean ice in the shallow subsurface, possibly accounting for the distinctive color of the satellite in comparison to the other icy moons of Jupiter. The process of lineament formation may be continuing today; the bright band Agenor Linea is among the leading candidates for current activity.

Images of Europa from the Galileo spacecraft show a surface with a complex history involving tectonic deformation, impact cratering, and possible emplacement of ice-rich materials and perhaps liquids on the surface. Differences in impact crater distributions suggest that some areas have been resurfaced more recently than others; Europa could experience current cryovolcanic and tectonic activity. Global-scale patterns of tectonic features suggest deformation resulting from non-synchronous rotation of Europa around Jupiter. Some regions of the lithosphere have been fractured, with icy plates separated and rotated into new positions. The dimensions of these plates suggest that the depth to liquid or mobile ice was only a few kilometers at the time of disruption. Some surfaces have also been upwarped, possibly by diapirs, cryomagmatic intrusions, or convective upwelling. In some places, this deformation has led to the development of chaotic terrain in which surface material has collapsed and/or been eroded.

High resolution (

The Galileo mission has returned the first high-resolution (21 m/pixel) images of the surface of Europa. These images reveal structures with morphologies reminiscent of those seen on terrestrial sea ice. Although it is premature to make one-to-one analogies between sea ice and Europa's surface, a review of the types of surface features commonly formed on Earth and of various sea-ice processes can provide insight into the complex geology of Europa. For example, deformation of terrestrial sea ice results from winds, tides, and currents and from thermally induced stresses; the resulting features include fractures ranging in width from millimeters to kilometers, pressure ridges, shear ridges, and rafted ice. Potential agents of deformation on Europa are more likely to be limited to tidal flexing and possibly convection, but could produce similar features and perhaps account for the ridges and fractures seen in many areas. Subtle differences in albedo and color in terrestrial sea ice result from differences in ice thickness and grain size, attributed to factors such as the rate of ice-crystal growth, water turbulence, age of the ice, and deformation. Similar factors could account for differences observed in the bright icy plains of Europa. Moreover, salts in both the solid form and as brine vary in concentration and composition as a function of space and time on Earth, leading to differences in density and the strength of ice sheets. Salts are also suspected in the europan ice and could lead to similar differences, enhancing the creation of topographic relief from density contrasts and the formation of fractures from brittle failure of the ice. Differences in the environments between Europa and terrestrial sea ice in terms of parameters such as temperature, gravity, time, and ice compositions suggest caution in drawing direct analogies. Future work by the planetary and sea-ice communities must include understanding the terrestrial processes sufficiently for extrapolation to Europa.

Europa's orbital eccentricity, driven by the resonance with Io and Ganymede, results in “diurnal” tides (3.5-day period) and possibly in nonsynchronous rotation. Both diurnal variation and nonsynchronous rotation can create significant stress fields on Europa's surface, and both effects may produce cracking. Patterns and time sequences of apparent tectonic features on Europa include lineaments that correlate with both sources of stress, if we take into account nonsynchronous rotation, after initial crack formation, by amounts ranging up to several tens of degrees. For example, the crosscutting time sequence of features in the Cadmus and Minos Linea region is consistent with a combined diurnal and nonsynchronous tensile-stress field, as it evolves during tens of degrees of nonsynchronous rotation. Constraints on the rotation rate from comparing Voyager and Galileo images show that significant rotation requires >104yr, but could be fast enough to have allowed significant rotation since the last global resurfacing, even if such resurfacing was as recent as a few million years ago. Once cracking is initiated, diurnal tides work cracks so that they open and close daily. Although the daily effect is small, over 105yr double ridges could plausibly be built along the cracks with sizes and morphologies consistent with observed structures, according to a model in which underlying liquid water fills the open cracks, partially freezes, and is extruded during the daily closing of the cracks. Thus, several lines of observational and theoretical evidence can be integrated if we assume nonsynchronous rotation and the existence of a liquid water layer.

During its first two encounters with Ganymede, the Galileo spacecraft obtained images of a 16,500 km 2 portion of Galileo Regio, a large expanse of dark terrain, at high resolution (76–86 m/pixel). Through mapping of the G1 and G2 target sites within Galileo Regio, we are able to characterize geological units based on their morphology and relative albedo. We find three generally low albedo units: an intermediate albedo plains unit, a lower albedo plains unit, and the lowest albedo unit which is found on furrow and crater floors. We also find high albedo units which include crater rims, furrow rims, and isolated knobs and massifs. Other features include an intermediate albedo lobate feature interpreted to be a palimpsest and a hummocky unit interpreted to be impact ejecta. Several processes are interpreted to have occurred within Galileo Regio. These include tectonic deformation, mass wasting, sublimation, resurfacing by impact ejecta, and possibly cryovolcanism and isostatic adjustment. We observe that the NW–SE trending furrows (Lakhmu Fossae) in Galileo Regio are degraded and are crosscut by the younger N–S trending furrows (Zu Fossae). We also find several other tectonic features which may be minor faults or fractures related to one or other of these systems. Through mapping and crater size–frequency distributions, we are able to propose a stratigraphy for the Galileo Regio target site. The oldest features in the area are high albedo knobs and massifs, which are interpreted to be remnants of early impact-related features and furrow rims. These may have formed at approximately the same time as the intermediate and low albedo plains units and the furrow systems. The lowest albedo unit of furrow floors probably subsequently evolved through sublimation and mass wasting. Much of the northeast portion of the target area was subsequently obscured by one of the youngest units, ejecta from an impact just to the north. We use our mapping of the high-resolution images of Galileo Regio to evaluate three end-member models for the formation of dark terrain: (1) the crust is dark throughout, (2) material on the surface is the result of a low albedo cryovolcanic layer over a higher albedo crust, and (3) dark material is distributed in small quantities throughout the crust, and geological processes have acted to concentrate low albedo material on the surface. Although it is possible that elements of more than one of these models are present within the dark terrain, we find that the third model, that of a thin veneer of low albedo material, best fits observations of Galileo Regio

High-resolution Galileo imaging has provided important insight into the origin and evolution of grooved terrain on Ganymede. The Uruk Sulcus target site was the first imaged at high resolution, and considerations of resolution, viewing geometry, low image compression, and complementary stereo imaging make this region extremely informative. Contrast variations in these low-incidence angle images are extreme and give the visual impression of topographic shading. However, photometric analysis shows that the scene must owe its character to albedo variations. A close correlation of albedo variations to topography is demonstrated by limited stereo coverage, allowing extrapolation of the observed brightness and topographic relationships to the rest of the imaged area. Distinct geological units are apparent across the region, and ridges and grooves are ubiquitous within these units. The stratigraphically lowest and most heavily cratered units (“lineated grooved terrain”) generally show morphologies indicative of horst-and-graben-style normal faulting. The stratigraphically highest groove lanes (“parallel ridged terrain”) exhibit ridges of roughly triangular cross section, suggesting that tilt-block-style normal faulting has shaped them. These extensional-tectonic models are supported by crosscutting relationships at the margins of groove lanes. Thus, a change in tectonic style with time is suggested in the Uruk Sulcus region, varying from horst and graben faulting for the oldest grooved terrain units to tilt block normal faulting for the latest units. The morphologies and geometries of some stratigraphically high units indicate that a strike-slip component of deformation has played an important role in shaping this region of grooved terrain. The most recent tectonic episode is interpreted as right-lateral transtension, with its tectonic pattern of two contemporaneous structural orientations superimposed on older units of grooved terrain. There is little direct evidence for cryovolcanic resurfacing in the Uruk Sulcus region; instead tectonism appears to be the dominant geological process that has shaped the terrain. A broad wavelength of deformation is indicated, corresponding to the Voyager-observed topography, and may be the result of ductile necking of the lithosphere, while a finer scale of deformation probably reflects faulting of the brittle near surface. The results here form a basis against which other Galileo grooved terrain observations can be compared.

The Galileo Orbiter examined several impact features on Europa at considerably better resolution than was possible from Voyager. The new data allow us to describe the morphology and infer the geology of the largest impact features on Europa, which are probes into the crust. We observe two basic types of large impact features: (1) "classic" impact craters that grossly resemble well-preserved lunar craters of similar size but are more topographically subdued (e.g., Pwyll) and (2) very flat circular features that lack the basic topographic structures of impact craters such as raised rims, a central depression, or central peaks, and which largely owe their identification as impact features to the field of secondary craters radially sprayed about them (e.g., Callanish). Our interpretation is that the classic craters (all

High-resolution Galileo images of grooved terrain on Ganymede have revealed details of the morphology of grooves and their stratigraphic relationships. Based on lower resolution Voyager images, complex areas of grooved terrain in Uruk Sulcus were interpreted in the context of structurally isolated grooved polygons which were resurfaced by cryovolcanism and individually deformed by local processes. In Galileo images of grooved polygon boundaries, the faults comprising the groove lanes between the polygons are observed to truncate features within the polygons, and incipient fractures from these groove lanes modify the edges of the polygons, indicating that these groove lanes are younger than the polygons. In the Uruk Sulcus region, tectonic resurfacing by the formation of younger sets of grooves appears to be obscuring older patterns of deformation. The grooved polygons are thus remnants of terrain affected by older episodes of deformation isolated from each other by areas of more recent deformation. The stratigraphy of grooves can be determined for small areas covered by high-resolution Galileo images (∼100 m/pixel) and then generalized to larger areas imaged by Voyager at lower resolution (∼1 km/pixel). This method has been applied to the regions around Uruk Sulcus and Nippur Sulcus, resulting in two preliminary conclusions about the nature of grooved terrain deformation: (1) the style of deformation has changed through time and (2) the orientation of least compressive stress has changed through time. Throughout the mapped region, the stratigraphically oldest grooves are closely spaced, subdued structures which indicate least compressive stress oriented NW–SE, while the youngest grooves exhibit morphology consistent with tilt block normal faulting, with least compressive stress oriented NE–SW. These observations are consistent over an area of 1.6 million square kilometers and therefore do not favor highly localized or low-strain mechanisms for grooved terrain formation, such as the cooling of cryovolcanic flows or the surface expression of diapirs. Instead, the formation of grooved terrain on Ganymede may be dominated by global expansion due to tidal heating and/or differentiation, possibly organized into coherent regional patterns by transient low-order convection or changes in the satellite's figure.

Thynia Linea, a gray band on Europa, is found to be a ∼25 km wide and >900 km long region of lithospheric separation which has been infilled by relatively dark material. Roughly a dozen older features and the cuspate segments that form its outline appear to have been displaced across its width. Displacement azimuths indicate a best fit pole of opening near 79°S, 200°W. However, displacement magnitude decreases toward either end of the gray band, indicating that it is more akin to a “tear” in a nonrigid europan lithosphere. Opening was in response to NW–SE directed tensile stress, in accord with the stress predictions of nonsynchronous rotation. Observations of Thynia Linea are consistent with a laterally mobile brittle lithosphere, decoupled from ductile or liquid material below, as previously suggested to account for opening of wedge-shaped bands in Europa's antijovian region. Lithospheric separation and contemporaneous emplacement of new material offers a possible volcano-tectonic scenario for resurfacing Europa. If this process is ongoing, resurfacing can be accomplished on a time scale consistent with the satellite's surface age if one gray band or zone of wedge-shaped bands forms every ∼10 3 –10 4 yr and becomes unrecognizable with age. This would imply that features on Europa brighten with age, as through continuous deposition of frost onto the surface.

We provide an overview of the execution, data, and results of the solid state imaging (SSI) experiment at the encounter of the Galileo spacecraft with the asteroid 243 Ida. Ninety-six images of the asteroid, representing 18 time samples during a rotation period (4.633 h), were transmitted to Earth as a result of the UT 1993 August 28.70284 encounter. This provided coverage of ∼95% of the surface and achieved ground resolutions as high as 25 m/pixel. Coverage of most of Ida's surface is available in four colors, with limited regions in five colors, at resolutions up to 105 m/pixel. A natural satellite of Ida, called Dactyl, was discovered in a prograde (with respect to Ida's spin), near-equatorial, orbit moving slowly (∼ 6 m/sec) with a separation of 85 km from Ida.s Ida's shape is highly irregular; by comparison, Dactyl's global topography is quite smooth. The best fit ellipsoid to Ida's shape has principal dimensions 59.8 × 25.4 × 18.6 km, mean radius 15.7 km, and volume 16,100 ± 1900 km3. Dactyl's mean radius is only 0.7 km. Ida's spin axis (right ascension: 348.76° ± 7.5°; declination: 87.10° ± 0.4°; J2000) was found to align with the principal axis of inertia to within the error of measurement. This is consistent with a homogeneous density distribution. Dactyl's rotation rate is unknown, but its long axis was pointed in the direction of Ida at the time of observation, suggesting synchronism of its orbital motion and spin. Constraints on Dactyl's orbit yield 4.2 ± 0.6 × 1019g for Ida's mass and 2.6 ± 0.5 g/cm3for its bulk density. Unless Ida's bulk porosity is exceptionally high, Ida has moderate to low NiFe content. Subtle color variations across the surface of Ida are associated with fresh craters, but, unlike the case for Asteroid 951 Gaspra, are not correlated with topographic features such as ridges. This difference may be a reflection of a deeper and/or more mobile regolith on Ida. Dactyl's spectral reflectance is similar to, but quantitatively distinct from the surface of Ida itself. This difference may reflect compositional differences between Dactyl and Ida, which in turn may have originated in an only partially differentiated Koronis parent body. Results on the origin, collisional history, and geology of Ida and Dactyl are the subject of many of the papers in this special issue. There is general agreement that these asteroids originated in the catastrophic breakup of the Koronis parent body and that the formation of asteroid–satellite systems may be relatively common in such events. The age and collisional history of the pair present a dilemma: using standard interpretations of the cratering record on Ida's surface, an age > 1 byr. is indicated. However, the lifetime of Dactyl against collisional disruption is many times less than this. Novel ideas are presented concerning the collisional history of these two small objects that may resolve this dilemma. These ideas result from analysis of the geological record on the surface of Ida, Dactyl, and, by comparison, Gaspra—all of which are examined in this special issue. The execution of the Galileo flybys of Gaspra, Ida, and Dactyl provide important lessons for future flybys of small bodies. We present our views on the limitations faced by the Galileo imaging experimenters and indicate how future missions can be made more quantitative and productive through the application of innovative electronic control systems and detector technology.

The surface of 243 Ida is dominated by the effects of impacts. No complex crater morphologies are observed. A complete range of crater degradation states is present, which also reveals optical maturation of the surface (darkening and reddening of materials with increasing exposure age). Regions of bright material associated with the freshest craters might be ballistically emplaced deposits or the result of seismic disturbance of loosely-bound surface materials. Diameter/depth ratios for fresh craters on Ida are ∼1:6.5, similar to Gaspra results, but greater than the 1:5 ratios common on other rocky bodies. Contributing causes include rim degradation by whole-body “ringing,” relatively thin ejecta blankets around crater rims, or an extended strength gradient in near-surface materials due to low gravitational self-packing. Grooves probably represent expressions in surface debris of reactivated fractures in the deeper interior. Isolated positive relief features as large as 150 m are probably ejecta blocks related to large impacts. Evidence for the presence of debris on the surface includes resolved ejecta blocks, mass-wasting scars, contrasts in color and albedo of fresh crater materials, and albedo streaks oriented down local slopes. Color data indicate relatively uniform calcium abundance in pyroxenes and constant pyroxene/olivine ratio. A large, relatively blue unit across the northern polar area is probably related to regolith processes involving ejecta from Azzurra rather than representing internal compositional heterogeneity. A small number of bluer, brighter craters are randomly distributed across the surface, unlike on Gaspra where these features are concentrated along ridges. This implies that debris on Ida is less mobile and/or consistently thicker than on Gaspra. Estimates of the average depth of mobile materials derived from chute depths (20–60 m), grooves (≥30 m), and shallowing of the largest degraded craters (20–50 m minimum, ∼100 m maximum) suggest a thickness of potentially mobile materials of ∼50 m, and a typical thickness for the debris layer of 50–100 m.

Seventeen positive relief features ∼45–150 m across are identified as probable blocks in Galileo high-resolution images of Ida. Their presence provides direct evidence for regolith retention on asteroids. The spatial distribution, maximum size, and integrated volume of the blocks are consistent with those of blocks associated with craters on the Earth, the Moon, Phobos, and Deimos. The concordance suggests that the features are impact ejecta fragments and that cratering mechanics on Ida, an object of average diameter ∼32 km, are similar to those applying on previously studied rocky bodies. The blocks that lie within or near the rims of craters Lascaux and Mammoth were likely mobilized in the low-velocity tail portion of the excavation flow that formed those craters. A few blocks located near smaller craters may have migrated some distance away from their source, possibly by impact-induced spallation, hopping, rolling, and/or sliding. Some blocks on Ida could be surviving fragments from the Koronis parent body, accreted after its breakup. The lifetime of 102-m sized boulders against collisional disruption is estimated to be in the 108–109year range, consistent with ages considered for the largest and oldest craters on Ida. Extrapolation of successful ejecta scaling laws to other asteroids suggests that blocks ∼15 and 70 m across could be present on Dactyl and Gaspra, respectively (in both cases too small to be identified in available Galileo images). Blocks 100 m in size could be present on 433 Eros, and km-sized megablocks on 4 Vesta.

All landforms on Titan that are unambiguously identifiable can be explained by exogenic processes (aeolian, fluvial, impact cratering, and mass wasting). Previous suggestions of endogenically produced cryovolcanic constructs and flows have, without exception, lacked conclusive diagnostic evidence. The modification of sparse recognizable impact craters (themselves exogenic) can be explained by aeolian and fluvial erosion. Tectonic activity could be driven by global thermal evolution or external forcing, rather than by active interior processes. A lack of cryovolcanism would be consistent with geophysical inferences of a relatively quiescent interior: incomplete differentiation, only minor tidal heating, and possibly a lack of internal convection today. Titan might be most akin to Callisto with weather: an endogenically relatively inactive world with a cool interior. We do not aim to disprove the existence of any and all endogenic activity at Titan, nor to provide definitive alternative hypotheses for all landforms, but instead to inject a necessary level of caution into the discussion. The hypothesis of Titan as a predominantly exogenic world can be tested through additional Cassini observations and analyses of putative cryovolcanic features, geophysical and thermal modeling of Titan’s interior evolution, modeling of icy satellite landscape evolution that is shaped by exogenic processes alone, and consideration of possible means for supplying Titan’s atmospheric constituents that do not rely on cryovolcanism.

著者人数：43名, Accepted: 2008-10-06, 資料番号: SA1000997000