Thermal evolution of Kuiper belt objects, with implications for cryovolcanism

Desch, S. J.; Cook, J. C.; Doggett, T.; Porter, S. B.

doi:10.1016/j.icarus.2009.03.009

Cited by 96 publications

(122 citation statements)

References 101 publications

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“…If the thermal conductivity of the surface layers is additionally very low, the presence of crystalline water ice could simply be due to the erosion of the surface by impact cratering, revealing the underlying material. These conclusions highlight the importance of objects like Quaoar (ρ bulk > 2800 kg m Desch et al 2009;Delsanti et al 2010, for example).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 83%

“…A way to change these time constraints would be to consider a different density, to account for other physical processes, or to account for the presence of salt or other material that can lower the melting point (see Desch et al 2009). In addition, these results were found using the cold accretion assumption and by neglecting both accretional heating and gravitational potential energy.…”

Section: Early Evolution Of Tnos: Comparison With Other Modelsmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

New 3D thermal evolution model for icy bodies application to trans-Neptunian objects

Guilbert-Lepoutre

Lasue

Federico

et al. 2011

A&A

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Context. Thermal evolution models have been developed over the years to investigate the evolution of thermal properties based on the transfer of heat fluxes or transport of gas through a porous matrix, among others. Applications of such models to trans-Neptunian objects (TNOs) and Centaurs has shown that these bodies could be strongly differentiated from the point of view of chemistry (i.e. loss of most volatile ices), as well as from physics (e.g. melting of water ice), resulting in stratified internal structures with differentiated cores and potential pristine material close to the surface. In this context, some observational results, such as the detection of crystalline water ice or volatiles, remain puzzling. Aims. In this paper, we would like to present a new fully three-dimensional thermal evolution model. With this model, we aim to improve determination of the temperature distribution inside icy bodies such as TNOs by accounting for lateral heat fluxes, which have been proven to be important for accurate simulations. We also would like to be able to account for heterogeneous boundary conditions at the surface through various albedo properties, for example, that might induce different local temperature distributions. Methods. In a departure from published modeling approaches, the heat diffusion problem and its boundary conditions are represented in terms of real spherical harmonics, increasing the numerical efficiency by roughly an order of magnitude. We then compare this new model and another 3D model recently published to illustrate the advantages and limits of the new model. We try to put some constraints on the presence of crystalline water ice at the surface of TNOs. Results. The results obtained with this new model are in excellent agreement with results obtained by different groups with various models. Small TNOs could remain primitive unless they are formed quickly (less than 2 Myr) or are debris from the disruption of larger bodies. We find that, for large objects with a thermal evolution dominated by the decay of long-lived isotopes (objects with a formation period greater than 2 to 3 Myr), the presence of crystalline water ice would require both a large radius (>300 km) and high density (>1500 kg m −3 ). In particular, objects with intermediate radii and densities would be an interesting transitory population deserving a detailed study of individual fates.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 83%

Section: Early Evolution Of Tnos: Comparison With Other Modelsmentioning

confidence: 99%

New 3D thermal evolution model for icy bodies application to trans-Neptunian objects

Guilbert-Lepoutre

Lasue

Federico

et al. 2011

A&A

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“…This confirms the similarities of Orcus and Charon bulk surface properties. Also, Desch et al (2009) identified from their 1D-spherical thermal model of Charon that cryovolcanism is the most probable mechanism to provide fresh ices on the surface. From our own thermal model (see Sect.…”

Section: Charonmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…There is nonetheless no easy way to infer the internal abundance of ammonia from the surface composition, since the latter would not reflect the internal composition, due to the chemical modifications induced by space weathering processes. As described by Desch et al (2009), the presence of only a few percent of ammonia in the interior (by weight, relative to water) can efficiently lower the viscosity of the ammonia-water mixture once is has melted. Please note however that large amounts of ammonia might be incompatible with a high dust/ice ratio such as the one used on our model (Wong et al 2008).…”

Section: A Past Cryovolcanic Eventmentioning

confidence: 99%

Methane, ammonia, and their irradiation products at the surface of an intermediate-size KBO?

Delsanti¹,

Merlin²,

Guilbert-Lepoutre³

et al. 2010

A&A

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Orcus is an intermediate-size 1000 km-scale Kuiper belt object (KBO) in 3:2 mean-motion resonance with Neptune, in an orbit very similar to that of Pluto. It has a water-ice dominated surface with solar-like visible colors. We present visible and near-infrared photometry and spectroscopy obtained with the Keck 10 m-telescope (optical) and the Gemini 8 m-telescope (near-infrared). We confirm the unambiguous detection of crystalline water ice as well as absorption in the 2.2 μm region. These spectral properties are close to those observed for Pluto's larger satellite Charon, and for Plutino (208996) 2003 AZ 84 . Both in the visible and near-infrared Orcus' spectral properties appear to be homogeneous over time (and probably rotation) at the resolution available. From Hapke radiative transfer models involving intimate mixtures of various ices we find for the first time that ammonium (NH + 4 ) and traces of ethane (C 2 H 6 ), which are most probably solar irradiation products of ammonia and methane, and a mixture of methane and ammonia (diluted or not) are the best candidates to improve the description of the data with respect to a simple water ice mixture (Haumea type surface). The possible more subtle structure of the 2.2 μm band(s) should be investigated thoroughly in the future for Orcus and other intermediate size Plutinos to better understand the methane and ammonia chemistry at work, if any. We investigated the thermal history of Orcus with a new 3D thermal evolution model. Simulations over 4.5×10 9 yr with an input 10% porosity, bulk composition of 23% amorphous water ice and 77% dust (mass fraction), and cold accretion show that even with the action of long-lived radiogenic elements only, Orcus should have a melted core and most probably suffered a cryovolcanic event in its history which brought large amounts of crystalline ice to the surface. The presence of ammonia in the interior would strengthen the melting process. A surface layer of a few hundred meters to a few tens of kilometers of amorphous water ice survives, while most of the remaining volume underneath contains crystalline ice. The crystalline water ice possibly brought to the surface by a past cryovolcanic event should still be detectable after several billion years despite the irradiation effects, as demonstrated by recent laboratory experiments.

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“…The outer solar system may harbor unexplored treasures on one of dozens of icy moons, or even inside Kuiper belt objects (Desch et al 2009). …”

Section: Life In Icy Moons Of the Outer Solar System?mentioning

confidence: 99%

Astrobiology and the Possibility of Life on Earth and Elsewhere…

et al. 2015

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Astrobiology is an interdisciplinary scientific field not only focused on the search of extraterrestrial life, but also on deciphering the key environmental parameters that have enabled the emergence of life on Earth. Understanding these physical and chemical parameters is fundamental knowledge necessary not only for discovering life or signs of life on other planets, but also for understanding our own terrestrial environment. Therefore, astrobiology pushes us to combine different perspectives such as the conditions on the primitive Earth, the Team of interdisciplinary scientists focused on astrobiology to review the profound transformations in the field that have occurred since the beginning of the new century. The present paper is an interdisciplinary review of current research in astrobiology, covering the major advances and main outlooks in the field. The following subjects will be reviewed and most recent discoveries will be highlighted: the new understanding of planetary system formation including the specificity of the Earth among the diversity of planets, the origin of water on Earth and its unique combined properties among solvents for the emergence of life, the idea that the Earth could have been habitable during the Hadean Era, the inventory of endogenous and exogenous sources of organic matter and new concepts about how chemistry could evolve towards biological molecules and biological systems. In addition, many new findings show the remarkable potential life has for adaptation and survival in extreme environments. All those results from different fields of science are guiding our perspectives and strategies to look for life in other Solar System objects as well as beyond, in extrasolar worlds.

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Thermal evolution of Kuiper belt objects, with implications for cryovolcanism

Cited by 96 publications

References 101 publications

New 3D thermal evolution model for icy bodies application to trans-Neptunian objects

New 3D thermal evolution model for icy bodies application to trans-Neptunian objects

Methane, ammonia, and their irradiation products at the surface of an intermediate-size KBO?

Astrobiology and the Possibility of Life on Earth and Elsewhere…

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