Graphic of Enceladus' Thermal Vents (IMAGE)

NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center

Graphic of Enceladus' Thermal Vents

Caption

The Cassini spacecraft detected hydrogen in the plume of gas and icy material spraying from Enceladus during its deepest and last dive through the plume on Oct. 28, 2015. This graphic illustrates a theory on how water interacts with rock at the bottom of the moon's ocean, producing hydrogen gas. A Goddard team wants to develop an instrument that would reveal even more details about the hydrothermal vents and perhaps help answer if life exists on this ocean world.

Credit

Credits: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Southwest Research Institute

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