Scientists have discovered that Saturn’s icy moon Enceladus is warmer than previously thought, with its hidden ocean potentially remaining liquid for billions of years. This raises exciting possibilities that conditions there could support life.
A new study, led by researchers from the University of Oxford, the Southwest Research Institute, and the Planetary Science Institute, has found strong evidence of heat flow at Enceladus’s north pole. Until now, scientists believed that most of the moon’s heat emanated only from its south pole, where plumes of water vapor shoot out into space.
Published in *Science Advances*, this new finding shows that heat is also escaping from the north pole—an indication that Enceladus’s ocean is globally active and might remain stable over time.
“Understanding how much heat Enceladus is losing is key to knowing if it can support life,” said Dr. Carly Howett, a co-author of the study. “It’s exciting that this result supports Enceladus’s long-term sustainability, one of the ingredients needed for life.”
### Enceladus: A Moon of Intrigue
Enceladus, measuring about 500 kilometers across, has fascinated scientists since NASA’s Cassini spacecraft discovered geysers spraying icy water from its south pole. Beneath its thick ice shell lies a global ocean containing salts, heat, and organic molecules—all essential ingredients for life.
For this subsurface ocean to remain habitable, Enceladus must maintain a delicate energy balance: enough internal heating to prevent freezing, but not so much that the ocean becomes unstable. This energy comes from tidal forces. As Saturn’s gravity pulls and stretches Enceladus during its orbit, the resulting friction generates heat inside the moon.
The new study reveals that this heating process occurs across the entire moon, not just at the poles.
### Key Findings from Cassini Data
The research team analyzed thermal data collected by Cassini’s infrared spectrometer during Enceladus’s long winter and summer seasons. They found that the north pole was about 7 Kelvin (approximately 7°C) warmer than expected. The only viable explanation is heat escaping from the subsurface ocean beneath the ice.
Measured heat flow was about 46 milliwatts per square meter—roughly two-thirds the heat rate leaving Earth’s continents. Spread across Enceladus’s surface, this translates to around 35 gigawatts of power, which is equivalent to the energy produced by 10,500 large wind turbines or more than 60 million solar panels.
When combined with heat escaping from the south pole, the total heat flow reaches approximately 54 gigawatts, matching the energy expected from tidal heating. This balance suggests that Enceladus’s ocean is likely stable over long timescales.
### Ice Thickness and Mission Insights
Using the thermal data, researchers also estimated the thickness of Enceladus’s icy shell. They found it to be about 20 to 23 kilometers thick at the north pole and around 25 to 28 kilometers thick on average across the globe—slightly thicker than earlier estimates.
Dr. Georgina Miles, the study’s lead author, emphasized the importance of patient exploration in understanding ocean worlds like Enceladus. “Cassini’s data continue to reveal new secrets years after the mission ended,” she said. “If we want to find life elsewhere, we need patient, detailed exploration of these ocean worlds.”
### The Search for Life Beyond Earth
With liquid water, internal warmth, and essential chemicals, Enceladus remains one of the most promising places in our solar system to search for alien life—perhaps waiting quietly beneath its frozen surface. The new findings reinforce the need for future missions to explore this intriguing world in greater detail.
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*Sources: Science Advances; NASA Cassini Mission*
https://knowridge.com/2025/11/saturns-icy-moon-enceladus-may-hide-a-long-lived-ocean-that-could-support-life/
