Observations of water vapor and ice-crystal plumes emanating from the south polar region of Enceladus are among the most striking discoveries of the Cassini-Huygens Mission (e.g., Hansen et al., 2006; C. C. Porco et al., 2006; Spencer et al., 2006). This plume activity is associated with tectonically and thermally active terrains, witnessing strong interactions with the interior dynamics. Both chemical and geophysical measurements performed by the Cassini spacecraft imply that this activity is most likely related to the existence of a liquid salty layer at relatively shallow depth underneath the icy crust at the south pole which is possibly associated with hydrothermal activity at the seafloor (
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.