Tiny salt crystals could tell us about a hidden ocean on Saturn's moon
Beyond EarthFrom: Phys.org · rewritten for kids by Osmo
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Under kilometres of ice, Saturn's moon Enceladus hides an ocean. Jets near its south pole spray water vapour and icy particles into space, which gives scientists a way to study that ocean without drilling. The question is which material keeps the best clues. In a lab study published in Communications Earth & Environment, Liam Perera of Diamond Light Source in the United Kingdom and colleagues found that natron, a sodium carbonate mineral expected to form on Enceladus, traps tiny pockets of water while its crystals grow during freezing. These pockets could preserve information about the ocean's chemistry, and that makes them a good target for future missions.
Big word
crystal: A solid with its tiny parts lined up in a neat repeating pattern, like salt or sugar grains.
Quiz time: circle the right answer
1. Where is the ocean on Enceladus?AUnder thick iceBOn top of a volcanoCInside a cloud
2. What sprays out near the south pole of Enceladus?AJets of water and icy bitsBLavaCSand
3. What can the salt crystals trap as they freeze?ATiny pockets of waterBAir bubbles from EarthCStarlight
Your turn
Ask a grown-up to help you dissolve salt in warm water and leave it on a sunny windowsill. In a few days, look for crystals and draw them.
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