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Originally Posted by Superluminal
Actually, I thought this was old news. NASA posted pictures of out gassing from Enceladus several months ago.
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The difference now is evidence of liquid water as the source. Previously one conjecture was that the ice plumes came from water vapor.
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Scientists examined several models to explain the process. They ruled out the idea that the particles are produced by or blown off the moon's surface by vapor created when warm water ice converts to a gas. Instead, scientists have found evidence for a much more exciting possibility -- the jets might be erupting from near-surface pockets of liquid water above 0 degrees Celsius (32 degrees Fahrenheit), like cold versions of the Old Faithful geyser in Yellowstone.
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It doesn't say how they ruled out water vapor, but that's no doubt in the
Science article.