Non-steady state tidal heating of Enceladus

Abstract Enceladus is one of the most geologically active bodies in the Solar System. The satellite’s diverse surface suggests that Enceladus was subject to past episodic heating. It is largely probable that the activity of Enceladus is not in a steady state. In order to analyze the non-steady state heating, thermal and orbital coupled calculation is needed because they affect each other. We perform the coupled calculation assuming conductive ice layer and low melting temperature. Although the heating state of Enceladus strongly depends on the rheological parameters used, episodic heating is induced if the Q -value of Saturn is less than 23,000 and Enceladus’ core radius is less than 161 km. The duration of one episodic heating cycle is around one hundred million years. The cyclic change in ice thickness is consistent with the origin of a partial ocean which is suggested by plume emissions and diverse surface states of Enceladus. Although the obtained tidal heating rate is smaller than the observed heat flux of a few giga watt, other heating mechanisms involving e.g., liquid water and/or specific chemical reactions may be initiated by the formation of a partial or global subsurface ocean.