Solar System Geysers…Each a Fountain of Youth | The Institute for Creation Research

Solar System Geysers…Each a Fountain of Youth

A sticky problem for nature-only origins just got 100 times worse.

When discovered about ten years ago, a remarkable plume of water ice ejected from Enceladus, an icy moon in Saturn’s E ring, left secular notions of the moon’s origin up in the air. Detailed inspection of Enceladus now shows not just one, but 101 geysers shooting ice particles into space through four fissures that cut across a basin in its south-pole region.1

If these geysers formed billions of years ago as secular origins models insist, then small Solar System bodies should be old, cold, and dead—that is, geologically, magnetically, and otherwise completely inactive. Enceladus already broke this “cold” mold once with its towering water-ice plume, and then a second time when close measurements revealed more heat than expected.2

Secularists have difficulty modeling any means by which the moon could still have the material and energy necessary to spout geysers, both of which should have been spent millions of years ago. However, from the perspective of recent creation, still-active planets and moons like Enceladus come as no surprise.

Scientists have gathered and analyzed in-depth imaging and detection by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory-managed Cassini spacecraft. They published their results in the July 2014 issue of the Astronomical Journal.3 The Cassini website reported, “These results, together with those of other Cassini instruments, now strongly suggest that the geysers have their origins in the sea known to exist beneath the ice underlying the south polar terrain”4  

So, the geyser’s water and heat comes from beneath the icy crust of Enceladus, but why are they still there after billions of years? Tidal flexing has been the first model to which secularists looked for answers. In it, gravity squeezes the planet, generating heat and power. Tidal flexing does occur, but a 2011 study revealed that it doesn’t even supply one tenth of the geyser-riddled moon’s heat-generating power.2

The Astronomical Journal study authors wrote, “If regional tidal heating is occurring today, it may be responsible for some of the erupting water and heat.” Thus, heat from tidal flexing “may” cause “some” of Enceladus’ activity, but certainly not all of it.

Instead of admitting that Enceladus looks young, they punted the issue by saying, “Future Cassini observations may settle the question.”3 Acquiring more data may not be the key to understanding Enceladus’ activity. In this case, interpreting the data in light of recent creation provides none of these troublesome contradictions.

Full explanations for what fuels the 101 moon plumes continue to elude secular thinking, but Enceladus’ ongoing activity can be understood—even expected— if it were created thousands, not billions of years ago.

References

  1. Cassini Spacecraft Reveals 101 Geysers and More on Icy Saturn Moon. Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Posted on jpl.nasa.gov July 28, 2014, accessed August 3, 2014.
  2. Thomas, B. Heat of Saturn Moon Far Surpasses Long-age Expectations. Creation Science Update. Posted on icr.org March 29, 2011, accessed August 3, 2014.
  3. Porco, C., D. DiNono, and F. Nimmo. 2014. How the Geysers, Tidal Stresses, and Thermal Emission across the South Polar Terrain of Enceladus Are Related. The Astronomical Journal. 148 (3): 45.
  4. Bursting at the Seams: The Geyser Basin of Enceladus. CICLOPS. Posted on ciclops.org July 28, 2014, accessed August 3, 2014.

* Mr. Thomas is Science Writer at the Institute for Creation Research.

Article posted on August 8, 2014.

The Latest
NEWS
Marine Mammals: Designed for Deep Diving
While you’re reading this, hold your breath. What is now happening is your blood is delivering the last of oxygenated blood cells to your tissues...

CREATION PODCAST
Humanity's Demise at the Hands of Genetic Entropy | The Creation...
Welcome to the fourth episode in a series called “The Failures of Old Earth Creationism.” Many Christians attempt to fit old earth...

NEWS
''Inside-Out'' Fossil is Amazingly Preserved
It is widely known that vast numbers of fossils—vertebrate and invertebrate—have been discovered incredibly well-preserved.1,2...

NEWS
The Resurrection and the Origin of Life
At Easter time we focus on the cardinal Christian doctrine of the Resurrection. Without the Resurrection, Christianity is a sham. The truth that Jesus...

NEWS
Is an Ancient Extinct Tree-Dweller Our Relative?
Human evolution has always been hazy with seemingly as many attempted explanations for how we evolved from animals as there are paleoanthropologists. Evolutionists...

NEWS
The Return of the Dire Wolf?
There’s been much recent excitement about the birth of three dire wolf (Aenocyon dirus) puppies by a Dallas-based biotech company: Colossal Bioscience....

CREATION PODCAST
Cracks in the Layers: Lake Suigetsu and the Old Earth Illusion...
Welcome to the third episode in a series called “The Failures of Old Earth Creationism.” Many Christians attempt to fit old earth...

NEWS
Fish Fossil Vomit
A rather unsavory news story recently appeared regarding fossilized vomit. Although it’s hardly dinner table conversation, it nonetheless supports...

NEWS
Dino Footprints Down Under
Dinosaur trackways1 are once again making the news. Australia is the setting of a remarkable series of dinosaur tracks attributed to ornithischian...

NEWS
April 2025 ICR Wallpaper
"But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things...