Experimental Examination of Brine and Water Lifetimes after Impact on Airless Worlds

Abstract

The role played by transient impact-induced endogenous brines in the formation of geomorphic features has been proposed on airless worlds such as Europa, Vesta, and Ceres, as well as on worlds with thin atmospheres such as Mars. After liquefaction, the hypothesized brines flow in a debris-flow-like process, incising curvilinear gullies and constructing lobate deposits within newly formed craters. Here we investigate what parameters (if any) could enable liquid to be transiently present for a sufficient time (∼tens of minutes) under postimpact transient atmospheric pressures (10 ^−4 –10 ^−5 torr) to form curvilinear gullies and lobate deposits, as have been seen on Vesta and more tentatively Ceres. We report that water likely vacuum-freezes too quickly, while NaCl brine enables flow longevity. We also find that frozen lid formation facilitates longer liquid lifetimes, as with lava in terrestrial lava tubes and model predictions for cryovolcanic flows on Europa. This work provides additional contributions to the growing body of literature that investigates the role of transient brines in sculpting the surfaces of airless worlds.

Keywords

• Small Solar System bodies
• Dwarf planets
• Natural satellites (Solar system)
• Planetary science
• Planetary surfaces
• Surface processes