Mapping of potential mass wasting on Enceladus

Abstract

Enceladus is a moon of Saturn that is known to exhibit active geology in the form of geysers that erupt from the south pole. Mass wasting (e.g., landsliding) is another process that can actively shape planetary surfaces and provide insight into the geological activity of a planetary body. We performed mapping of Enceladus' surface to investigate the distribution of potential areas of mass wasting, as well as the presence of ice boulders near these areas which could be displaced downhill by the mass wasting events. Twenty-five images taken by the Cassini spacecraft, selected based on those with the highest resolution (12–200 m/pixel), were used in our survey. Within those images, we find 84 areas of potential mass wasting. We find a correlation between ice blocks and mass wasting at tectonic sites; however, at craters we do not find ice blocks even though potential mass wasting sites were found. An explanation of the processes leading to the dearth of ice blocks in craters could be the topic of future work.