Posted on Thursday, December 16 2010 @ 3:00 CET by Thomas De Maesschalck
Astronomers have found the best evidence yet for an ice volcano on Saturn's moon Titan. Images from the Cassini probe reveal a 1,500m high mountain with a deep pit in it, surrounded by what looks like volcanic material.
Titan has long been speculated to have cryovolcanoes but its hazy atmosphere makes all observations very difficult.
Researchers are now wondering how active this mountain might be, and what sort of lava it could spew.
"Much of Titan's outer material is water-ice and ammonia, and so that's certainly one possible material that could melt at low temperatures and flow on the surface," explained Dr Randy Kirk, a Cassini radar team-member from the US Geological Survey (USGS).
Full details
at BBC News.
