{
  "id": 6315001,
  "title": "Giant impacts may strip small icy moons of subsurface oceans",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/08/giant-impacts-may-strip-small-icy-moons-of-subsurface-oceans",
  "topic": "science",
  "section": "Science",
  "published": "2026-09-08T19:40:10.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Phys.org",
    "slug": "phys-org",
    "url": "https://phys.org/news/2026-09-giant-impacts-small-icy-moons.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Recent simulations by Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) scientists reveal that disruptive impacts on small icy moons could strip away subsurface oceans rather than create them. The research, published in Nature Astronomy, suggests that these larger collisions would not lead to the formation of new oceans, but could significantly alter the composition of the moons. Many icy moons in the outer solar system, including several of Saturn and Uranus, are considered potential ocean worlds, with the possibility of liquid water beneath their icy crusts. However, these smaller moons, generally under 1,000 km in radius, are more likely to lose their oceans following such disruptions. The study used a combination of smoothed particle hydrodynamics and thermal-structural evolution models to simulate the effects of collisions on moons. Despite the energy introduced during disruptive impacts, it dissipates too quickly to promote ocean formation, similar to how smaller pieces of food heat up and cool down faster than a whole one. The research indicates that disruptive collisions can cause ice-rock differentiation, resulting in a thicker ice shell and a denser core. However, for moons with a radius of 1,000 km or larger, the preexisting oceans are more likely to persist.",
  "summary": "Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) scientists used simulations to understand the role disruptive impacts play on icy moons with subsurface oceans in our solar system. A recent paper published in the journal Nature Astronomy concludes that disruptive impacts can affect the presence and persistence of subsurface oceans in these moons but do not seem to create new oceans.",
  "key_points": [
    "Disruptive impacts strip subsurface oceans from small icy moons.",
    "Larger collisions alter moon composition, not create new oceans.",
    "Research published in Nature Astronomy, August 2023."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}