Publisher: Department of Computer Science, School of Information Science and Technology 

Date: April 22, 2024

In a groundbreaking study published online in Nature, Associate Professor Zhang Qingfeng from the Department of Computer Science at Jinan University's School of Information Science and Technology played a key role in an international research team led by renowned scholar Valery Lainey from the Paris Observatory. The team's findings reveal the existence of a young ocean beneath the ice layer of Enceladus, one of Saturn's moons.

(Interior of Mimas Revealed: Ice Shell, Liquid Ocean, and Rocky Core Structure Illustrated.)

Utilizing high-precision Cassini astrometric data and a dynamic modeling approach, the researchers simulated the internal structure of Enceladus. The results indicate the presence of a global ocean located 20-30 kilometers underground, likely formed within the last 20 million years. This discovery positions Enceladus as a unique location for studying water-rock interactions on icy celestial bodies and offers new insights into the potential for extraterrestrial life.

The study underscores the importance of high-precision astronomical measurements in unraveling the internal compositions of celestial bodies and highlights the significance of ongoing research in planetary science.

The research, funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China, has been published in Nature and can be accessed at: 

[Nature article link] (https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-023-06975-9)