Whitepaper #184 submitted to the Planetary Science and Astrobiology Decadal Survey 2023-2032. Topics: surface/geological evolution; giant planets systems; ocean worlds
by Candice Hansen, Will Grundy, Jason Hofgartner, Emily Martin, Karl Mitchell, Francis Nimmo, Carol Paty, James Roberts, Kirby Runyon, Lynnae C. Quick, Paul Schenk, Alan Stern, and Orkan Umurhan
Neptune’s moon Triton has been explored by one spacecraft, Voyager 2 in 1989. Images revealed a geologically young surface, < 10–100 Ma, with unique landforms. Is Triton an ocean world? Confirmation of a liquid layer, rich organic-chemistry and ice-shell transport processes would place Triton among the highest value targets in the search for life.
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