Mysterious Bulge Could Be Evidence Of Polar Wander On Ganymede
- 9 years ago
Astronomers have discovered a mysterious bulge on Jupiter’s largest moon Ganymede which could be evidence of polar wander.
A large bulge has been discovered in the equatorial region of Ganymede, Jupiter’s largest moon. Scientists believe this could be an indication of a phenomenon known as true polar wander, where a mass shifts to correct a weight imbalance in relation to the rotational spin of the planet, or in this case, moon.
The area is quite large, measuring 375 miles wide and almost two miles tall, and is thought to be made of thick ice.
One of the few places that could develop such a large mass without the involvement of other geological factors is at the poles where conditions are constantly cold.
The hypothesis is that the ice became big and heavy enough to drag the moon’s outer shell downward until it arrived at its current spot around the equator.
Water would be needed to enable this sliding motion betwee
A large bulge has been discovered in the equatorial region of Ganymede, Jupiter’s largest moon. Scientists believe this could be an indication of a phenomenon known as true polar wander, where a mass shifts to correct a weight imbalance in relation to the rotational spin of the planet, or in this case, moon.
The area is quite large, measuring 375 miles wide and almost two miles tall, and is thought to be made of thick ice.
One of the few places that could develop such a large mass without the involvement of other geological factors is at the poles where conditions are constantly cold.
The hypothesis is that the ice became big and heavy enough to drag the moon’s outer shell downward until it arrived at its current spot around the equator.
Water would be needed to enable this sliding motion betwee