Water plumes on Ceres

[mdatspace]

http://www.space.com/24366-dwarf-planet-ceres-water-ice-volcanoes.html

I doubt that Ceres could still be geologically active today. Unlike Enceladus or Europa, it does not have tidal heating, and it is too small to keep in much heat.

I think these plumes have more in common with a comet than a cryovolcano, as was said in the article.

[Raven.]

http://www.space.com/24366-dwarf-planet-ceres-water-ice-volcanoes.html

I doubt that Ceres could still be geologically active today. Unlike Enceladus or Europa, it does not have tidal heating, and it is too small to keep in much heat.

I think these plumes have more in common with a comet than a cryovolcano, as was said in the article.

Interesting. Although there is almost no evidence to indicate what is causing the water vapor; we can only speculate at this point. I'm surprised that Ceres has enough gravity to even hold the water vapor in. We are not likely gonna know the answers until NASA Dawn's 2015 flyby.

[magnemoe]

Yes, probably more like an comet, ice under the surface get heated and evaporates.

[Sickle]

Makes you think, doesn't it. Ceres is the aftermath of a failed planet (Blame Jupiter on that one). Imagine if it formed and the whole asteroid belt was a planet, Water plumes, it could have possibly been a an Earth-like planet.

[Winter Man]

Makes you think, doesn't it. Ceres is the aftermath of a failed planet (Blame Jupiter on that one). Imagine if it formed and the whole asteroid belt was a planet, Water plumes, it could have possibly been a an Earth-like planet.

Well, Ceres accounts for a third of the asteroid belt's entire mass. So it would have been a slightly bigger dwarf planet (one still two or three orders of magnitude less massive than Pluto).

Interesting. Although there is almost no evidence to indicate what is causing the water vapor; we can only speculate at this point. I'm surprised that Ceres has enough gravity to even hold the water vapor in. We are not likely gonna know the answers until NASA Dawn's 2015 flyby.

Sublimation of surface ice, I'd imagine. Still, worth a look. edit: thought you meant the small amount given off by the surface at all times. The plumes are pretty cool and definitely worth a look.

Edited January 23, 2014 by Winter Man