Produced by: Tarun Mishra
Scientists from Johns Hopkins University and the University of North Dakota have found compelling evidence that the moon Miranda, orbiting Uranus, may harbour subsurface water resources. This discovery opens new possibilities in the search for extraterrestrial life.
Published in The Planetary Science Journal, the study highlights the potential for Miranda to be an "ocean world" with hidden reservoirs of water beneath its icy surface, a finding described as both "exciting and bizarre" by planetary scientist Tom Nordheim.
Researchers utilized data from NASA's Voyager 2 probe, which captured images of Miranda in 1986. The moon's rugged, grooved terrain—dubbed a “Frankenstein-like hodgepodge”—was reexamined to determine if tidal forces and internal heating contributed to the formation of an underground ocean.
The study builds on earlier NASA investigations of Uranus' other moons—Ariel, Umbriel, Titania, and Oberon—which also exhibit features suggesting deep, water-filled gorges. These findings strengthen the case for multiple ocean worlds within Uranus' moon system.
Researchers estimate that Miranda's potential subsurface ocean may have existed between 100 to 500 million years ago, formed due to gravitational interactions, or tidal forces, between the moon and Uranus’ other satellites.
The study sheds light on the formation and evolution of the solar system. Researcher Sherry Fieber-Beyer noted that understanding how giant planets' movements influenced their moons and nearby asteroids could provide crucial context for planetary science.
The research contributes to understanding the factors that make icy moons potentially habitable. While there is no evidence yet of life on Miranda, researcher Caleb Strom emphasized that identifying subsurface oceans is a vital step in evaluating their habitability.
Scientists stress that more data is needed to confirm Miranda’s status as an ocean world. Missions aimed at Uranus and its moons could provide deeper insights into the potential for life in the icy reaches of the solar system.