Recent research indicates that Miranda, a moon of Uranus, might have harbored a deep liquid water ocean beneath its surface between 100 to 500 million years ago.

The significance of this discovery is underscored by planetary scientist Tom Nordheim from Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory, who highlights the importance of finding an ocean in such a small celestial body.

Tidal forces acting on Miranda generate heat through friction, which could have sustained a subsurface ocean and influenced the moon's geological features.

This groundbreaking study was conducted by scientists from Johns Hopkins University and the University of North Dakota, and it was published in The Planetary Science Journal.

Published on October 15, 2023, the findings provide new insights into the potential for ocean worlds within our solar system.

While the study suggests that a deep ocean is likely no longer present, it posits that liquid water could still exist beneath Miranda's icy surface.

The research proposes that a crust approximately 8 miles (30 kilometers) thick could support an ancient subsurface ocean, which would have been significant compared to Earth's Mariana Trench.

The absence of surface cracks, which would indicate the expansion of a frozen ocean, supports the hypothesis of a subsurface ocean.

Using modern modeling techniques, scientists have re-evaluated data from Voyager 2's 1986 flyby, finding evidence of a potential liquid ocean layer beneath Miranda's icy crust.

This hypothesized ocean could comprise nearly half of Miranda's total volume, a surprising finding for the research team.

Although there are currently no plans for a dedicated mission to Miranda, these findings could inspire future exploration of the moon.

The study enhances our understanding of icy moons and their potential habitability, a crucial aspect emphasized by researcher Caleb Strom.