|
|
Enceladus: the "Ground-Track"
|
This graphic shows Cassini's path, or Ground Track, as it crossed over the surface of Enceladus near the time of closest approach during the flyby on July 14, 2005. The Ground Track is indicated by a yellow line, marked by increments of 10" before and after closest approach. The spacecraft came within 175 Km from the surface of Enceladus at closest approach.
The red contour encloses the Region on Enceladus around the South Pole that is the approx. boundary of the warm region, as measured by the Composite Infrared Spectrometer (CIS) on Cassini. As previously announced, temperatures observed within this region reached as high as 110 Kelvin (about -260 Fahrenheit). (...) Results like these, pouring in from various Cassini instruments, indicate the warm South Polar Region and, in particular, the 'tiger stripe' fractures straddling the South Pole, as the sources of heat, water vapor and small, icy particles.
Enceladus is a surprisingly active moon. Why its South Pole is the site of this activity is a mystery.
|
|