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Radar Attenuation in Enceladus' Ice Shell: Obstacles and Opportunities for Constraining Shell Thickness, Chemistry, and Thermal Structure.

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Title: Radar Attenuation in Enceladus' Ice Shell: Obstacles and Opportunities for Constraining Shell Thickness, Chemistry, and Thermal Structure.
Authors: Souček, Ondřej1 (AUTHOR) ondrej.soucek@mff.cuni.cz, Běhounková, Marie2 (AUTHOR), Schroeder, Dustin M.3,4 (AUTHOR), Wolfenbarger, Natalie S.5 (AUTHOR), Kalousová, Klára2 (AUTHOR), Steinbrügge, Gregor6 (AUTHOR), Soderlund, Krista M.5 (AUTHOR)
Source: Journal of Geophysical Research. Planets. Feb2023, Vol. 128 Issue 2, p1-16. 16p.
Subject Terms: *Ice, *Sea ice, Radar, Scientific apparatus & instruments, Water jets, Thermophysical properties, Ground penetrating radar, Bistatic radar, Chemical properties
Abstract: Enceladus is a dynamic icy moon of Saturn and a leading target for future planetary missions focused on the search for life beyond Earth. For such missions, instruments that can provide geophysical and geochemical context for ice shell and ocean processes are critical to evaluate whether conditions are suitable for life and biosignature detection. Radar sounding is a powerful geophysical technique to probe the thermophysical and chemical properties of icy moons, like Enceladus, and to investigate the subsurface context for the exchange of material and energy between their subsurface oceans, ice shells, and plumes. To inform the scientific potential and instrument performance demands of such a radar‐sounding investigation of Enceladus' ice shell, we adapt and extend previous radar attenuation analysis done for Europa to the configuration and conditions of Enceladus. We also discuss how attenuation (both as an obstacle for the detection of ice shell reflectors and as a signal itself) can help constrain the thermal, physical, and chemical configuration of Enceladus' ice shell and reveal the processes governing the moon's ocean/shell/plume system. Plain Language Summary: Enceladus, a tiny icy moon of Saturn, has been attracting attention since the discovery of its spectacular water jet activity. The jets, sampling the moon's hidden deep ocean, have revealed conditions favorable for the existence of life below the cold outer ice shell. Understanding the long‐term persistence of the ocean, the jets, and their connection to the ice shell and ocean requires reliable knowledge of the shell's physical, thermal, and chemical properties. Ice penetrating radar is a powerful tool for studying ice shells in the planned missions to Jupiter's icy moons. In this paper, we expand and adapt the radar‐based approach to Enceladus in light of the established constraints on the shell's structure and chemistry. We find that although the shell's chemical composition makes direct radar detection of the ice‐ocean interface challenging, the shell's thermal structure enables constraining the thickness—and potentially chemistry—by future missions using echoes from water within the shell. Key Points: We explore radar attenuation within Enceladus' ice shell as a function of its chemistry using a 3D model of its shape and thermal structureDirect radar detection of the ice‐ocean interface is improbable for chloride‐rich shells except for the thin south‐polar regionThe NH3 eutectic isotherm is a comparatively easy‐to‐detect interface, with the potential to constrain the shell thickness and composition [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of Journal of Geophysical Research. Planets is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
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  Data: Radar Attenuation in Enceladus' Ice Shell: Obstacles and Opportunities for Constraining Shell Thickness, Chemistry, and Thermal Structure.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Souček%2C+Ondřej%22">Souček, Ondřej</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<i> ondrej.soucek@mff.cuni.cz</i><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Běhounková%2C+Marie%22">Běhounková, Marie</searchLink><relatesTo>2</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Schroeder%2C+Dustin+M%2E%22">Schroeder, Dustin M.</searchLink><relatesTo>3,4</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Wolfenbarger%2C+Natalie+S%2E%22">Wolfenbarger, Natalie S.</searchLink><relatesTo>5</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Kalousová%2C+Klára%22">Kalousová, Klára</searchLink><relatesTo>2</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Steinbrügge%2C+Gregor%22">Steinbrügge, Gregor</searchLink><relatesTo>6</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Soderlund%2C+Krista+M%2E%22">Soderlund, Krista M.</searchLink><relatesTo>5</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Journal+of+Geophysical+Research%2E+Planets%22">Journal of Geophysical Research. Planets</searchLink>. Feb2023, Vol. 128 Issue 2, p1-16. 16p.
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  Data: *<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Ice%22">Ice</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Sea+ice%22">Sea ice</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Radar%22">Radar</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Scientific+apparatus+%26+instruments%22">Scientific apparatus & instruments</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Water+jets%22">Water jets</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Thermophysical+properties%22">Thermophysical properties</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Ground+penetrating+radar%22">Ground penetrating radar</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Bistatic+radar%22">Bistatic radar</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Chemical+properties%22">Chemical properties</searchLink>
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: Enceladus is a dynamic icy moon of Saturn and a leading target for future planetary missions focused on the search for life beyond Earth. For such missions, instruments that can provide geophysical and geochemical context for ice shell and ocean processes are critical to evaluate whether conditions are suitable for life and biosignature detection. Radar sounding is a powerful geophysical technique to probe the thermophysical and chemical properties of icy moons, like Enceladus, and to investigate the subsurface context for the exchange of material and energy between their subsurface oceans, ice shells, and plumes. To inform the scientific potential and instrument performance demands of such a radar‐sounding investigation of Enceladus' ice shell, we adapt and extend previous radar attenuation analysis done for Europa to the configuration and conditions of Enceladus. We also discuss how attenuation (both as an obstacle for the detection of ice shell reflectors and as a signal itself) can help constrain the thermal, physical, and chemical configuration of Enceladus' ice shell and reveal the processes governing the moon's ocean/shell/plume system. Plain Language Summary: Enceladus, a tiny icy moon of Saturn, has been attracting attention since the discovery of its spectacular water jet activity. The jets, sampling the moon's hidden deep ocean, have revealed conditions favorable for the existence of life below the cold outer ice shell. Understanding the long‐term persistence of the ocean, the jets, and their connection to the ice shell and ocean requires reliable knowledge of the shell's physical, thermal, and chemical properties. Ice penetrating radar is a powerful tool for studying ice shells in the planned missions to Jupiter's icy moons. In this paper, we expand and adapt the radar‐based approach to Enceladus in light of the established constraints on the shell's structure and chemistry. We find that although the shell's chemical composition makes direct radar detection of the ice‐ocean interface challenging, the shell's thermal structure enables constraining the thickness—and potentially chemistry—by future missions using echoes from water within the shell. Key Points: We explore radar attenuation within Enceladus' ice shell as a function of its chemistry using a 3D model of its shape and thermal structureDirect radar detection of the ice‐ocean interface is improbable for chloride‐rich shells except for the thin south‐polar regionThe NH3 eutectic isotherm is a comparatively easy‐to‐detect interface, with the potential to constrain the shell thickness and composition [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
– Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright
  Label:
  Group: Ab
  Data: <i>Copyright of Journal of Geophysical Research. Planets is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=8gh&AN=162055633
RecordInfo BibRecord:
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    Identifiers:
      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1029/2022JE007626
    Languages:
      – Code: eng
        Text: English
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      Pagination:
        PageCount: 16
        StartPage: 1
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Ice
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Sea ice
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Radar
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Scientific apparatus & instruments
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Water jets
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Thermophysical properties
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Ground penetrating radar
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Bistatic radar
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      – SubjectFull: Chemical properties
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      – TitleFull: Radar Attenuation in Enceladus' Ice Shell: Obstacles and Opportunities for Constraining Shell Thickness, Chemistry, and Thermal Structure.
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              Text: Feb2023
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