NASA Cassini Image: Thermal cracks on Saturn's Moon Enceladus

This image shows a high-resolution heat intensity map of part of the south polar region of Saturn's moon Enceladus, made from data obtained by NASA's Cassini spacecraft.

The map reveals never-before-seen details of warm fractures that branch off like split ends from the ends of the main trenches of two "tiger stripes."

The features nicknamed "tiger stripes" are long fissures that spray water vapor and icy particles.

These two fissures, Cairo Sulcus (left) and Alexandria Sulcus (right), extend to the lower right, off the bottom of the image. The map also shows an intriguing isolated warm spot, shown in purple-red in the upper left of the image, that is separated from other active
fissures.

Image credit: NASA/JPL/GSFC/SWRI/SSI