Mar. 20 & 21
Only two moons in our solar system are thought to have liquid water, and evidence collected by the Cassini spacecraft during multiple flybys suggests that Saturn's moon, Enceladus, could have liquid water reservoirs that erupt in Yellowstone-like geysers. Cassini has collected data, including high-resolution images of Enceladus' warm, south polar region, which reveal icy jets and towering plumes of particles and vapor ejected at high speed. Warm, low-density material rising to the surface could have literally caused Enceladus to roll over, putting the mass of warm material at the south pole. Tidal forces that squeeze and stretch the moon are a likely source of internal heat, but imaging and compositional data from the closest flyby yet of this intriguing satellite, earlier this month, may provide even more clues. We explore the mysteries of the fascinating world of Enceladus and investigate its place in the Saturn system.
Speaker: |
Dr. Amanda Hendrix |
Location: |
Thursday, March 20, 2008, 7p.m. The von Kármán Auditorium at JPL The Vosloh Forum at Pasadena City College |
Webcast: |
Webcast
with captions
|
JPL & The Beginnings of the Space Age
Jan. 24 & 25
The premier of a new historical video produced by JPL Office of Communications and Education Division Manager, Blaine Baggett.
Where in the World Will Our Energy Come From?
Feb. 28 & 29
What would it take to get the world to rely on renewable energy sources and get away from the damaging effects of fossil fuels?
Enceladus: The Newest Wrinkle from Saturn's Tiger-Striped Moon
Mar. 20 & 21
The Cassini spacecraft reveals a dynamic world of icy jets and towering plumes on Saturn's Moon Enceladus.
The Importance of Sample Return
Apr. 24 & 25
The Genesis Mission collected solar-wind samples outside of the Earth's Magnetosphere and returned them to Earth for Analysis.
Landing a Backhoe on Mars
May. 15 & 16
The Phoenix Lander will study the history of water and search for complex organic molecules in the ice-rich soil of the martian arctic.
The Heliospheric Magnetic Field, the Solar Wind & the Interstellar Medium
Jun. 19 & 20
The interaction of the heliospheric magnetic field, the solar wind and the interstellar medium are vitally important.
Cassini Mission to Saturn Highlights
Jul. 24 & 25
Near the completion of its four-year primary mission, the Cassini Spacecraft has revealed Saturn and its dynamic moons in unprecedented ways.
Keeping an Eye on Earth's Changing Climate: The Ocean Surface Topography Mission
Aug. 21 & 22
Measuring global sea level changes continually chronicles how Earth's climate fluctuates and changes over time.
The Great Southern California Shake Out
Sep. 25 & 26
California's future includes preparation for a great earthquake that could hit southern California on the southern San Andreas Fault.
New Wheels on Mars: The Mars Science Laboratory
Oct. 16 & 17
NASA's next rover mission to Mars will be twice as long and five times as heavy as the Mars Exploration Rovers.
New Worlds: Exoplanet Discoveries from the Spitzer Space Telescope
Nov. 13 & 14
Infrared Astronomy is responsible for some of the most revealing and interesting views of the Universe to date.
The Mystery of Dark Energy
Dec. 11 & 12
Evidence that the expansion of the Universe is accelerating points to "Dark Energy" as the cause of this rapid expansion.
