2018/02/15 by Ruth-Sophie Taubner, Patricia Pappenreiter, Jennifer Zwicker +12 · 3 citations
Physics and Astronomy · Environmental Science · #Astro and Planetary Science #Methane Hydrates and Related Phenomena #Astrophysics and Star Formation Studies
paper · pdf · doi:10.1038/s41467-018-02876-y
openalex publication_date 2018/02/15 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/23
Abstract The detection of silica-rich dust particles, as an indication for ongoing hydrothermal activity, and the presence of water and organic molecules in the plume of Enceladus, have made Saturn’s icy moon a hot spot in the search for potential extraterrestrial life. Methanogenic archaea are among the organisms that could potentially thrive under the predicted conditions on Enceladus, considering that both molecular hydrogen (H 2 ) and methane (CH 4 ) have been detected in the plume. Here we show that a methanogenic archaeon, Methanothermococcus okinawensis , can produce CH 4 under physicochemical conditions extrapolated for Enceladus. Up to 72% carbon dioxide to CH 4 conversion is reached at 50 bar in the presence of potential inhibitors. Furthermore, kinetic and thermodynamic computations of low-temperature serpentinization indicate that there may be sufficient H 2 gas production to serve as a substrate for CH 4 production on Enceladus. We conclude that some of the CH 4 detected in the plume of Enceladus might, in principle, be produced by methanogens.