The Enigmatic Ocean of Ariel: A Technological Analysis of the Uranian Moon’s Hidden Depths.
Uranus has always been the forgotten giant of the solar system. But its moons are starting to demand attention: Ariel, one of Uranus’s moons, could host an internal ocean of colossal dimensions. So large, in fact, that recent studies suggest Ariel may have an underground ocean up to 170 km deep, buried beneath its icy crust. This body of water would not be static, but its movement, combined with gravitational forces, would have generated fractures and ridges on Ariel’s surface.
Ongoing geological tension
With a diameter of 1,159 km, Ariel displays a mosaic of landscapes that seem contradictory: ancient craters, young plains, and smooth regions that point to cryovolcanism. All accompanied by cracks and tectonic faults that cannot be explained without an internal engine. The secret would lie in the tensions caused by the moon’s orbit, which deforms under the gravity of the giant planet.
The shape-shifting moon
Ariel is described as a moon that changes shape as it orbits Uranus, alternating between a soccer ball and an American football and vice versa. This deformation, caused by the eccentricity of its orbit, amplifies tidal forces and generates the fractured landscape observed today. Researchers are also considering the possibility that another moon of Uranus, Miranda, could hide a similar ocean. This discovery of “twin oceanic worlds” could revolutionize our understanding of the outer solar system.
