Exochemical Phenomena
At present, so little research has been done that there are no unusual phenomena that have been discovered that were not predicted from terrestrial work. However one well-established geochemical phenomenon might be mentioned- cryovolcanism, or low temperature volcanism. For example, ammonia dihydrate (NH3.2H2O) freezes at around 176 K at 1 atm pressure, and it can behave like molten magma. It is believed that cryovolcanic activity occurs on some of the "icy satellites" of the outer Solar System, such as Triton (N2 geysers) and Europa (believed to have NH3.2H2O volcanism). Ammonia hydrate may also serve as a polar solvent for ionic metal salts, in the way that water does on Earth. Common chemicals can behave in unusual ways in these strange environments!Last updated October 26th, 2002.