The Solar System Remains a Mystery: Ice-Erupting Volcanoes, Geysers, Hidden Oceans..
When we think of volcanoes, our imagination immediately conjures images of more or less explosive eruptions of molten rock, with long streams of lava flowing down the slopes of a mountain. This scenario is typical of celestial bodies that are still geologically active, such as Earth, Jupiter’s moon Io, and perhaps Venus—worlds where volcanic structures erupt incandescent magma formed by silicates and metallic oxides. However, there is another type of volcanism, less known but equally fascinating, at play on the icy moons or the dwarf planets of the outer solar system.
In this case, the erupted material is not lava but water or other volatile compounds, such as ammonia, methane, or carbon dioxide. This type of volcanism is called ice volcanism or cryovolcanism, representing one of the main sources of variation in the landscape of icy worlds. Cryovolcanism is also of interest to astrobiologists because it could indicate the presence of an underground ocean capable of hosting primitive life forms.
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