Characterization of Ocean Layers in the Outer Solar System – COLOSSe
Ocean layers buried beneath an ice crust now seem ubiquitous within water rich planetary bodies of the outer solar system. Some constitute at present the most promising of potentially habitable extraterrestrial environments (Europa, Enceladus). Most studies dedicated to the interior of ocean worlds have however focused on solid layers ; the description of oceans themselves remains simplistic. This project builds on an interdisciplinary team at the frontier of planetology and fluid mechanics in order to lift the veil on the dynamics of these poorly known objects. Doing so prior to the coming space missions (JUICE, Europa Clipper) is key as relevant observations to constrain the physical state of ocean habitats are currently defined. We propose a dual experimental/numerical study of ocean flow and dissipation in the light of heat and mass transport from the seafloor. Consequences on the surface ice shell structure, more accessible to orbiting space probes, will be scrutinized.
Project coordination
Gael Choblet (LABORATOIRE DE PLANETOLOGIE ET GEODYNAMIQUE)
The author of this summary is the project coordinator, who is responsible for the content of this summary. The ANR declines any responsibility as for its contents.
Partner
IRPHE Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique Délégation Provence et Corse _ Institut de recherche sur les phénomènes hors équilibre
IPGP Institut de physique du globe de Paris
LPG LABORATOIRE DE PLANETOLOGIE ET GEODYNAMIQUE
Help of the ANR 493,687 euros
Beginning and duration of the scientific project:
March 2021
- 48 Months