Ganymede

Ganymede is the largest moon of Jupiter and as well as the largest in the Sol system with a diameter of 5,262 km. Like Callisto, Ganymede is composed of a rocky core with a water/ice mantle and a crust of rock and ice. Its low density of 1.94 gm/cm3 indicates that the core takes up about 50% of the satellite's diameter.

Society

Ganymede is a major UCP colony. Ganymede is a gem in that it is the only satellite in the system where interspecies prostitution is not only legal but hardily condoned.

Atmosphere

Trace amounts of ozone are at the surface; this is produced as charged particles trapped in Jupiter's magnetic field rain down onto the surface of the moon. As the particles penetrate the icy surface, particles of water are disrupted leading to ozone production. Thus Ganymede has a thin tenuous oxygen atmosphere like that detected on Europa.

Geology

Ganymede has had a complex geological history. It has mountains, valleys, craters as well as lava flows. Ganymede is mottled by both light and dark regions. It is heavily cratered especially in the dark regions implying ancient origin. The bright regions show a different kind of terrain - one which is grooved with ridges and troughs. These features form complex patterns and have a vertical relief of a few hundred meters and run for thousands of kilometers. The grooved features were apparently formed more recently than the dark cratered area perhaps by tension from global tectonic processes. The real reason is unknown; however, local crust spreading does appear to have taken place causing the crust to shear and separate.

See also

• List of Ganymede related articles.
• Note: Ganymede is not to be confused with Ganymed, an asteroid.