Complex Organics Molecules are Bubbling up From Inside Enceladus

[Fraser]

According to the last study based on Cassini data, complex organic molecules exist within Enceladus and are being released through its plumes.
The post Complex Organics Molecules are Bubbling up From Inside Enceladus appeared first on Universe Today.


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[marsbug]

Um, the article says that this is the first time complex organics have been found on an extraterrestrial body. I think Enceladus neighbouring moon Titan might have something to say about that. And all the carbanaceous chondrite meteorites and their parent bodies. And all the comets...

[Selfsim]

Um, the article says that this is the first time complex organics have been found on an extraterrestrial body. I think Enceladus neighbouring moon Titan might have something to say about that. And all the carbanaceous chondrite meteorites and their parent bodies. And all the comets...

I disagree .. the molecules/particles they've measured on this particular occasion are, on average, much larger (ie: quantified) than any other evidence thus far produced. The quantities of them I think, constitutes stronger evidence and also doesn't include the possibility of terrestrially-sourced contaiminants (where all other instances to date, have):

... all the previous studies of Cassini data were only able to identify simple organic compounds in the plume material, with molecular masses mostly below 50 atomic mass units. For the sake of their study, the team observed evidence of complex macromolecular organic material in the plumes’ icy grains that had masses above 200 atomic mass units.

...

We found large molecular fragments that show structures typical for very complex organic molecules. These huge molecules contain a complex network often built from hundreds of atoms of carbon, hydrogen, oxygen and likely nitrogen that form ring-shaped and chain-like substructures.

The point they're then inferring from these measurements is that the processes which assembled these larger macromolecular-sized molecules haven't been found before .. which I think is a fair comment (and somewhat justifies the UT headline).

Overall, a quite significant finding, IMO.