Moons

Question 1

Earth’s Moon

Answer 1

• Theia –> planet sized object
• smashed into earth: 4.5 Ga
• moon formed from pieces of Earth
• small core

Question 2

Lunar Contaminants

Answer 2

• Apollo 11 crew: 21 dyas quarantine
• Little known about lunar biology

Question 3

Earth’s Moon’s Influence on Geodynamo

Answer 3

• proposed geodynamo is mechanical influence of the moon on Earth’s liquid outer-core

Question 4

Jupiter Moon: Europa

Answer 4

• water covered by thick layer of ice
• cryovolcanoes –> brings ocean material to the surface
• extreme radiation

Question 5

Saturn’s Moon: Titan

Answer 5

• great lakes of space
• seas of ethane and methane

Question 6

Saturn’s Moon: Enceladus

Answer 6

• hydrothermal activity in liquid water ocean (under ice crust)
• H2 in plumes
• high pH alkaline oceans
• access to CHN
• methane based hydrological cycle - potential life solvent

Question 7

Jovian System

Answer 7

• Europa and Titan
• has more liquid water than Earth

Question 8

Before Apollo

Answer 8

• Earth and moon formed together - co-accretion
• Earth spun so fast it split off the moon - fission
• Earth captured the moon - magnetic field

Question 9

Mars Moons

Answer 9

• Phobos and Deimos
• small
• will eventually be pulled into Mars - broken - and turned into rings

Question 10

Jupiter Moons

Answer 10

• Callisto, Ganymede, Europa, Io
• all display presence of water underlying icy surface