What is cryovolcanism?
Sep 21, 2023
It is a phenomenon not observed on Earth, but that takes place on other planets with the right conditions. Some of these are also found in the solar system, on Triton, Enceladus, Europa, Ganymede and Titan.
In all these icy moons, the energy that powers these phenomena comes from the great tidal forces exerted by the gas giants around which they orbit.
Cryovolcanism occurs in places so cold that water (and ammonia and methane compounds) behaves in much the same way as lava does on earth.