Scientists believe there are hot springs bubbling underneath the icy surface of Saturn's moon, Enceladus.

If scientists prove this, this discovery will make Enceladus the only known body in the solar system apart from our planet where hot water and rock activity are present underground.

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Evidence of this activity can make Enceladus another habitable place in our solar system where scientists can hunt for microbial life. On Earth, scientists have already identified unique life forms dwelling in hydrothermal vents found in ocean floors where there is no sunlight.

The data comes from NASA's Cassini probe whose mission is to explore Saturn and its natural satellites. Recently, the spacecraft detected a vast ocean beneath Enceladus. It also discovered giant plumes of gas and ice streaming out of the cracks located on the moon's southern polar region.

This latest study was led by Sean Hsu from the University of Colorado, Boulder and Yasuhito Sekine from the University of Tokyo and Takazo Shibuya from the Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology.

With data gathered from spacecraft observations and computer simulations, researchers now have a clearer idea of how the plumes on the moon are linked to the lunar sea floor.

The team found out that the plumes are a result of water interaction with the rocks on the ocean floor. This results in mineral rich water that shoots upward, piercing the icy crust, and erupting into space with gases and ice. These plumes also contribute to Saturn's biggest ring.

New data also suggest the ocean is apparently deeper than previous estimates, which is more than 50 kilometers below the icy crust. The Cassini team also believes the ocean can even be bigger than North America's Lake Superior.

These findings were published in the journal Nature.

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