Cassini finds molecular hydrogen in the Enceladus plume: Evidence for hydrothermal processes
Abstract
Hydrothermal processes on Enceladus: Saturn's moon Enceladus has a subsurface ocean covered by a layer of ice. Some liquid escapes into space through cracks in the ice, which is the source of one of Saturn's rings. In October 2015, the Cassini spacecraft flew directly through the plume of escaping material and sampled its chemical composition. Waite et al. found that the plume contains molecular hydrogen, H 2 , a sign that the water in Enceladus' ocean is reacting with rocks through hydrothermal processes (see the Perspective by Seewald). This drives the ocean out of chemical equilibrium, in a similar way to water around Earth's hydrothermal vents, potentially providing a source of chemical energy. Science , this issue p. 155 ; see also p. 132
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The latter environments are unlikely to have occurred on the icy satellites in contrast to the subsea hydrothermal settings.
“However, the latter environments are unlikely to have occurred on the icy satellites in contrast to the subsea hydrothermal settings (Waite et al. 2017).”
From The Emergence of Life (2019) · cites this paper as Waite et al. 2017
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 Waite et al., 2017
The high pH of Enceladus is most likely a consequence of serpentinization and after the discovery of H2 in the plume of Enceladus it is even more likely that serpentinization is still actively occurring.
“The high pH is most likely a consequence of serpentinization and after the discovery of H2 in the plume of Enceladus (Waite et al., 2017) it is even more likely that serpentinization is still actively occurring.”
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 Waite et al., 2017
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- Authors
- Waite, J. H., Glein, C. R., Perryman, R. S., Teolis, B. D., Magee, B. A., Miller, G., Grimes, J., Perry, M. E., Miller, K. E., Bouquet, A., Lunine, J. I., Brockwell, T., & Bolton, S. J.
- Affiliations
- Southwest Research Institute (US)
- Johns Hopkins University (US)
- Cornell University (US)
- Corresponding author
- Waite, J. Hunter
- Glein, Christopher R.
- ORCID
- Venue
- Science
- Published
- 2017-04-14
- Volume
- 356
- Issue
- 6334
- Pages
- 155-159
- ISSN
- 0036-8075 (ISSN-L)
- 1095-9203
- OpenAlex
- W2606994638
- Cited by
- 580
- References
- 5
- Citations by year
- 2026: 57 · 2025: 58 · 2024: 68 · 2023: 75 · 2022: 58 · 2021: 56 · 2020: 74 · 2019: 46 · 2018: 51 · 2017: 37
- FWCI
- 31.27
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Science (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- National Aeronautics and Space Administration (award277677)
- 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, Enceladus plume, molecular hydrogen, hydrothermal processes, subsurface ocean, icy satellites, Saturn rings, hydrothermal vents, chemical energy, Cassini mission
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