Thermal segregation of water ice on the Galilean satellites

Journal Article · Sun Feb 01 00:00:00 EST 1987 · Icarus; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/0019-1035(87)90107-2· OSTI ID:6238346

Spencer, J R

The susceptibility of dirty ice surfaces to a water cold-trapping process in the Galilean satellites' local bright patches, in association with preferential removal from dark areas, is inferred on the basis of a consideration of the thermal sublimation of ice. A decade time-scale segregation of the surface into bright icy regions and dark ice-free lag deposit regions would be the main consequence of such a process. While ion sputtering and micrometeorite bombardment do not appear to be of sufficient magnitude for a prevention of the process on Callisto and Ganymede, sputtering on the trailing side of Europa may be able to prevent segregation. 49 references.

• Research Organization: Arizona Univ., Tucson
• OSTI ID: 6238346
• Journal Information: Icarus; (United States), Vol. 69
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
JUPITER PLANET
SATELLITES
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
ICE
SUBLIMATION
TEMPERATURE DEPENDENCE
WATER
EVAPORATION
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PHASE TRANSFORMATIONS
PLANETS
640107* - Astrophysics & Cosmology- Planetary Phenomena