What is cryovolcanism?

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.

On these celestial bodies, volcanoes show flows and eruptions of water, and release water vapor fumes that then fall back to the ground once they come into contact with the cold temperatures outside.