Hot and Active: New Evidence of Geothermal Activity on Dwarf Planets Eris and Makemake

Saturday - February 17 2024, 04:03 UTC - 9 months ago

SwRI scientists have detected evidence of geothermal activity on dwarf planets Eris and Makemake, contradicting the belief that they have ancient, cold surfaces. The presence of methane on their surfaces suggests geothermal or metamorphic processes within their rocky cores, which could indicate potential internal warmth and habitability. This discovery challenges our understanding of these celestial bodies and has broader implications for other worlds in our solar system. Further investigation and exploration is needed to fully understand the significance of this finding.

Scientists from the Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) have made a groundbreaking discovery about the icy dwarf planets Eris and Makemake, two inhabitants of the distant Kuiper Belt in our solar system. Contrary to popular belief, these cosmic bodies may be warmer and more dynamic than we previously thought. The findings, co-led by planetary geochemistry expert Dr. Christopher Glein, challenge our long-held beliefs about these chilly, lifeless worlds.

Traditionally thought to have ancient, cold surfaces, the recent observations made by the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) suggest otherwise. The telescope detected the presence of methane on the surfaces of Eris and Makemake, but it wasn't the typical kind found on comets. Instead, the methane exhibited characteristics that hinted at warm or even hot geochemistry, likely originating from the planets' rocky cores.

This unexpected discovery is significant for two reasons. Firstly, it challenges the long-held belief that these icy worlds are frozen relics of the early solar system. Instead, they seem to be dynamic and active, with ongoing geological processes. Secondly, it has implications for the potential habitability of these planets. Liquid water is a key factor in determining habitability, and scientists have long suspected subsurface oceans on icy worlds like Saturn's Enceladus and Jupiter's Europa. Now, with the presence of internal warmth on Eris and Makemake, further investigation into the potential for liquid water beneath their icy surfaces is warranted.

Dr. Will Grundy, an astronomer at Lowell Observatory and co-author of the study, elaborated on the significance of this discovery, saying, "If Eris and Makemake have warm or hot geochemistry within their rocky cores, then cryovolcanic processes could deliver methane to their surfaces, possibly in recent times." .

This new evidence of geothermal activity on Eris and Makemake marks a paradigm shift in planetary science. It challenges the common notion that cold, icy worlds are devoid of internal heat and suggests that our understanding of these distant objects needs to be revised. Moreover, the models developed for this study also suggest that other celestial bodies, such as Saturn's moon Titan, may also have geothermal gases. This finding has broader implications for our understanding of the solar system and beyond.

Dr. Glein rightly pointed out that it's not too early to start thinking about exploring another one of these icy worlds. He said, "It's not too early to start thinking about sending a spacecraft to fly by another one of these bodies and put the JWST data into context." With the promise of even more surprising discoveries, the future of planetary science looks bright.