Ariel’s Elastic Thicknesses and Heat Fluxes

Abstract

The surface of Ariel displays regions that were resurfaced in the geologically recent past. Some of these regions include large chasmata that exhibit evidence for flexure. To estimate Ariel’s heat fluxes, we analyzed flexure associated with the Pixie Group of chasmata, including Pixie, Kewpie, Brownie, Kra, Sylph, and an unnamed chasma, and the Kachina Group of chasmata, which includes Kachina Chasmata. We analyzed topography of these chasmata using digital elevation models developed for this work. Our results indicate that Ariel’s elastic thicknesses range between 4.4 ± 0.7 km and 11.4 ± 1.4 km across the imaged surface. The younger Kachina Group has a relatively low elastic thickness of 4.4 ± 0.7 km compared to most chasmata in the older Pixie Group (4.1 ± 0.3 km to 11.4 ± 1.4 km). A pure H2O ice lithosphere would correspond to heat fluxes ranging from 17 to 46 mW m−2 for the Kachina Group and from 6 to 40 mW m−2 for the Pixie Group. Alternatively, if NH3 hydrates are present in Ariel’s lithosphere, then the estimated heat fluxes are lower, ranging from 3 to 18 mW m−2 for the Kachina Group and from 1 to 16 mW m−2 for the Pixie Group. These results indicate that accounting for NH3 hydrates in the lithosphere substantially alters the resulting heat flux estimates, which could have important implications for understanding the lithospheric properties of other icy bodies where NH3-bearing species are expected to be present in their lithospheres. Our results are consistent with Ariel experiencing tidal heating generated from mean motion resonances with neighboring satellites in the past, in particular Titania and Miranda.