Saturn's moon Covered by Mysterious Stripes

Mysterious straight bright stripes have been discovered on Saturn's moon Dione, says research by Alex Patthoff's Planetary Science Institute Associate Research Scientist.

Distribution of Linear Virgae on Dione and Rhea. Shown are the distribution of linear virga (green) crater rays (pink) and linear candidate virgae (orange) a. Global distribution of linear virgae, crater rays, and linear candidate virgae on Dione. b. Detailed view of linear virgae (green arrows) on Dione. Image No. N1649318802 centered at 22 ° W, 10 ° N. c. Global distribution of linear candidate virgae on Rhea. d. Detailed view of linear candidate virga. Image Credits: A) Basemap from Roatsch et al, 2008. B) Image No. N1649318802. C) Basemap from Roatsch et al, 2012. D) Image No. N1673420688.

The origins of these linear virgae are most likely caused by Saturn's rings, passing comets, or co-orbital moons Helene and Polydeuces.

"The evidence preserved in the linear virgae has implications for the orbital evolution and impact processes within the Saturnian system," Patthoff said. "More, the interaction of Dione's surface and exogenous material has implications for its habitability and provides evidence for the delivery of ingredients that contribute to the world."

Patthoff and Emily S. Martin of the Center for Earth and Planetary Studies at the National Air and Space Museum, are co-authors on a new paper "Mysterious linear features across Saturn's moon Dione" that appears in the journal Geophysical Research Letters. They studied images from NASA's Cassini spacecraft, which also revealed similar features on Saturn's moon Rhea.

Dione's linear is usually long (10 to 100s of kilometers), narrow (less than 5 kilometers) and brighter than the surrounding terrain. The stripes are parallel, appear to overlie other features and are unaffected by topography, they are among the youngest surfaces on Dione.

"Their orientation, parallel to the equator, and linearity are unlike anything else we've seen in the Solar System," Patthoff said. If they are caused by an exogenic source, that could be another way to bring new material to Dione. That material could have implications for the biological potential of Dione's subsurface ocean. "

Patthoff's research by NASA's Cassini Data Analysis Program.