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Spacecraft observations suggest that the plumes of Saturn's moon Enceladusdraw water from a subsurface ocean, but the sustainability of conduits linkingocean and surface is not understood. Observations show sustained (thoughtidally modulated) fissure eruptions throughout each orbit, and since the 2005discovery of the plumes. Peak plume flux lags peak tidal extension by $\sim$1radian, suggestive of resonance. Here we show that a model of the tiger stripesas tidally-flexed slots that puncture the ice shell can simultaneously explainthe persistence of the eruptions through the tidal cycle, the phase lag, andthe total power output of the tiger stripe terrain, while suggesting that theeruptions are maintained over geological timescales. The delay associated withflushing and refilling of \emph{O}(1) m-wide slots with ocean water causeserupted flux to lag tidal forcing and helps to buttress slots against closure,while tidally pumped in-slot flow leads to heating and mechanical disruptionthat staves off slot freeze-out. Much narrower and much wider slots cannot besustained. In the presence of long-lived slots, the 10$^6$-yr average poweroutput of the tiger stripes is buffered by a feedback between ice melt-back andsubsidence to \emph{O}(10$^{10}$) W, which is similar to the observed poweroutput, suggesting long-term stability. Turbulent dissipation makes testablepredictions for the final flybys of Enceladus by the \emph{Cassini} spacecraft.Our model shows how open connections to an ocean can be reconciled with, andsustain, long-lived eruptions. Turbulent dissipation in long-lived slots helpsmaintain the ocean against freezing, maintains access by future Enceladusmissions to ocean materials, and is plausibly the major energy source for tigerstripe activity.

Sustained eruptions on Enceladus explained by turbulent dissipation in tiger stripes