Uranus' moon Triton

The origin and evolution of Triton are not that well known. However from the distinctiveness of both its orbit and its surface, we can derive that this moon has undergone significant remodelling during ages past. There are two theories regarding the origin of Triton. The first is that it was formed within the Neptune system as an equatorial satellite to Neptune, developing at its current orbit. The other one suggests that triton itself was formed as a protoplanet to the sun, and was then captured by Neptune's gravity when crossing its orbit. The latter of these is the commonly most accepted. This because it explains how the extraordinary surface features and strange inclined orbit of the moon have come to be. If this is indeed how it came to pass, then almost all of Tritons interior would have been forced upward towards the surface of the moon by the immense tidal forces exerted on the moon by Neptune. Once on the surface, the molten materials were condensed by the differences in temperature between the hot interior of the moon and the almost atmosphere-free environment on the moon’s surface. This led to the forming of a mantle of water ice.

Also, the heavy tidal forces exerted on Triton by Neptune constantly melts large masses of methane and water ices, which are then transported upwards to the surface were they form powerful geysers that rise straight up for several kilometres an then turn very abruptly towards the south-west. The particles thrown up into the atmosphere by these geysers then fall down on the southern hemisphere as methane and nitrogen snow. This phenomenon may help us to explain why the surface of this particular moon is so smooth compared to almost all of the other moons in our solar system. Because if Triton, once captured by Neptune's gravitational pull, was affected by these powers to such a degree that geothermal processes occurred in its interior and caused massive geysers to form, these would then have covered almost the entire planets surface with methane and nitrogen snow, subsequently flattening it out. On the surface of the moon can also be seen the results of geological activities similar to those we believe occur on Pluto. The icecap on Triton rests upon layer of liquid "magma" believed to consist of Ammonium, methane and water. This "magma" is kept in a liquid state by both the pressure from the icecap above and by the tidal forces from Neptune. On the bottom of this layer Triton is believed to have a solid rock core.