The pH of Enceladus’ ocean
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There is evidence that serpentinization once occurred on Mars and is likely still occurring on Saturn's icy moon Enceladus.
“There is evidence that serpentinization once occurred on Mars and is likely still occurring on Saturn’s icy moon Enceladus, providing a perspective on serpentinization as a source of reductants, catalysts and chemical disequilibrium for life on other worlds.”
From Serpentinization as the source of energy, electrons, organics, catalysts, nutrients and pH gradients for the origin of LUCA and life (2023) · cites this paper as Glein et al., 2015
Besides Earth there are currently two other solar system bodies where there is evidence for serpentinization: Mars and the Saturn moon Enceladus.
“Besides Earth there are currently two other solar system bodies where there is evidence for serpentinization: Mars and the Saturn moon Enceladus (Oze and Sharma, 2005; Glein et al., 2015).”
From Serpentinization as the source of energy, electrons, organics, catalysts, nutrients and pH gradients for the origin of LUCA and life (2023) · cites this paper as Glein et al., 2015
Using observational data from the Cassini spacecraft, Glein et al. (2015) constructed a model determining the pH and likely chemical composition of Enceladus, finding that Enceladus' ocean is a Na-Cl-CO3 solution with a pH of 11-12.
“Using observational data from the Cassini spacecraft, Glein et al. (2015) constructed a model determining the pH and likely chemical composition of Enceladus. They found that Enceladus’ ocean is a Na-Cl-CO3 solution with a pH of 11–12.”
From Serpentinization as the source of energy, electrons, organics, catalysts, nutrients and pH gradients for the origin of LUCA and life (2023) · cites this paper as Glein et al., 2015
Hydrothermal vents may exist on icy moons such as Enceladus, which lacks continental lagoons.
“Importantly, hydrothermal vents may exist on icy moons such as Enceladus (Glein et al., 2015), which lacks continental lagoons.”
From The Astrobiology Primer v2.0 (2016) · cites this paper as Glein et al., 2015
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“The existence of life in these environments shows that the very alkaline pH is not an insurmountable barrier to survival, but high pH presents a challenge to Earth life because many biomolecules can be attacked by OH− (Westheimer, 1987).”
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“The delivery of these oxidants to the ocean (Hand et al., 2007) is an interesting possibility because they would affect the oxidation state of the system (Glein et al., 2008), and could support metabolisms that yield more chemical energy (Chyba, 2000; Catling et al., 2005).”
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“la (Prinn & Fegley, 1989) to Enceladus’ interior. The formation of H2 inside Enceladus would provide a favorable environment for abiotic synthesis of organic molecules (Shock & Canovas, 2010; McCollom, 2013) that may have led to an origin of life (Russell et al., 2010), or for H2-utilizing microorganisms (McKa…”
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“While it is not yet known whether Enceladus is also habitable, the interior of Enceladus may provide three key requirements for life: liquid water, nutrients, and energy gradients.”
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“Besides Earth there are currently two other solar system bodies where there is evidence for serpentinization: Mars and the Saturn moon Enceladus (Oze and Sharma, 2005; Glein et al., 2015).”
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- Authors
- Glein, C. R., Baross, J. A., & Waite, J. H.
- Affiliations
- Carnegie Institution for Science (US)
- University of Washington (US)
- Southwest Research Institute (US)
- Corresponding author
- Glein, Christopher R.
- Venue
- Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2015-08
- Volume
- 162
- Pages
- 202-219
- ISSN
- 0016-7037 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W1990466049
- Cited by
- 276
- References
- 21
- Citations by year
- 2026: 19 · 2025: 21 · 2024: 24 · 2023: 19 · 2022: 36 · 2021: 18 · 2020: 60 · 2019: 18 · 2018: 24 · 2017: 19 · 2016: 13 · 2015: 5
- FWCI
- 11.57
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- arxiv.org
- Locations
- Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta (publishedVersion)
- arXiv (Cornell University) (submittedVersion)
- arXiv (Cornell University)
- Funders
- NASA Astrobiology Institute
- Cassini Project
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Physics and Astronomy › Astronomy and Astrophysics › Astro and Planetary Science
- Physical Sciences › Physics and Astronomy › Astronomy and Astrophysics › Planetary Science and Exploration
- Physical Sciences › Physics and Astronomy › Astronomy and Astrophysics › Space Science and Extraterrestrial Life
- Keywords
- Enceladus, subsurface ocean, seawater pH, carbonate speciation, sodium carbonate, serpentinization, hydrogen production, hydrothermal alteration, hydroxide ion, phyllosilicates, dissolved organic matter, astrobiology, sulfuric acid, sodium chloride
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