Dynamics of Mixed Clathrate?Ice Shells on Ocean Worlds

The habitability of oceans within icy worlds depends on material and heat transport through their outer ice shells. Previous work shows a methane clathrate layer at the upper surface shell Titan thickens convecting region, while Pluto base hinders convection. In this way, dynamics clathrate-ice shells may be essential to thermal evolution ocean worlds. However, studies date have not addressed that determine location clathrates shell. Here, we show that, in contrast previous studies, accumulating are entrained throughout Clathrates stiffer than ice. As result, entrainment slows convection conductive lid across range worlds, potentially preserving sub-ice but limiting avenues for into them.