Tracing Saturn’s Watery Past: JWST Detects Heavy Water on Saturn’s Moons
Using JWST, Brown et al. detected deuterated water (heavy water) on Saturn’s icy moons, finding D/H ratios about 1.5 times higher than Earth’s oceans. This consistency across moons suggests they formed from the same cold, unprocessed ices, not from a hot gas disk. The results rule out earlier claims of extreme D/H on Phoebe and provide new insight into how Saturn’s satellites and solar system ices formed.
Cold Clues: JWST Detects Multiple Forms of CO₂ on Saturn’s Moons
Using JWST, Brown et al. detected carbon dioxide ice on eight of Saturn’s moons, revealing four distinct trapping mechanisms. Inner moons show CO₂ trapped in amorphous water ice and dark material, while outer moons display CO₂ linked to organic-rich regions and unique icy environments. These findings suggest complex surface chemistry and highlight the need for further lab and observational studies.
Building Saturn: Simulating Its Formation, Layers, and Helium Rain
The paper models Saturn’s formation from a small rocky core to its present state, including how heavy elements dissolve into its atmosphere and how helium rain shapes its internal structure. Their simulations match Saturn’s observed size, heat, and composition, supporting the idea of a diluted core and confirming Cassini's gravity data. The study also tests alternative formation scenarios, finding consistent results.