Ice Erupts from Jupiter and Saturn Moons

Water erupting from subsurface oceans on moons of Jupiter and Saturn may freeze into a low-density, flaky ice with a texture similar to a croissant. The ice forms when liquid water is expelled into the cold vacuum of space and rapidly solidifies without compacting. Laboratory tests showed the resulting material has significantly lower density than typical water ice found on planetary surfaces.

Future lander missions could encounter unstable surfaces if they touch down near active plume sites. The reduced density and flaky structure may cause landers to sink or shift upon contact. Mission planners will need to account for this ice type when selecting landing zones and designing landing systems. No specific missions were named in the report.