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Science 19 October 1990:
Vol. 250. no. 4979, pp. 424 - 429
DOI: 10.1126/science.250.4979.424
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Articles

Subsurface Energy Storage and Transport for Solar-Powered Geysers on Triton

Randolph L. Kirk 1, Robert H. Brown 2, and Laurence A. Soderblom 1

1 Branch of Astrogeology, U. S. Geological Survey, Flagstaff, AZ 86001
2 Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125

The location of active geyser-like eruptions and related features close to the current subsolar latitude on Triton suggests a solar energy source for these phenomena. Solidstate greenhouse calculations have shown that sunlight can generate substantially elevated subsurface temperatures. A variety of models for the storage of solar energy in a sub-greenhouse layer and for the supply of gas and energy to a geyser are examined. "Leaky greenhouse" models with only vertical gas transport are inconsistent with the observed upper limit on geyser radius of sim 1.5 kilometers. However, lateral transport of energy by gas flow in a porous N2 layer with a block size on the order of a meter can supply the required amount of gas to a source region sim1 kilometer in radius. The decline of gas output to steady state may occur over a period comparable with the inferred active geyser lifetime of five Earth years. The required subsurface permeability may be maintained by thermal fracturing of the residual N2 polar cap. A lower limit on geyser source radius of sim50 to 100 meters predicted by a theory of negatively buoyant jets is not readily attained.


THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES:
The Phase Composition of Triton's Polar Caps.
N. S. Duxbury, N. S. Duxbury, and R. H. Brown (1993)
Science 261, 748-751
   Abstract »    PDF »
Triton's Geyser-Like Plumes: Discovery and Basic Characterization.
L. A. Soderblom, L. A. Soderblom, S. W. Kieffer, T. L. Becker, R. H. Brown, A. F. Cook II, C. J. Hansen, T. V. Johnson, R. L. Kirk, and E. M. Shoemaker (1990)
Science 250, 410-415
   Abstract »    PDF »
Energy Sources for Triton's Geyser-Like Plumes.
R. H. Brown, R. H. Brown, R. L. Kirk, T. V. Johnson, and L. A. Soderblom (1990)
Science 250, 431-435
   Abstract »    PDF »
Triton's Plumes: The Dust Devil Hypothesis.
A. P. Ingersoll, A. P. Ingersoll, and K. A. Tryka (1990)
Science 250, 435-437
   Abstract »    PDF »


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