We have been modeling landscape evolution on the Galilean satellites driven by volatile transport . Our work directly addresses some of the most fundamental issues pertinent to deciphering icy Galilean satellite geologic histories by employing techniques currently at the forefront of terrestrial , martian , and icy satellite landscape evolution studies [ e.g. , 1 - 6 ] , including modeling of surface and subsurface energy and volatile exchanges , and computer simulation of long - term landform evolution by a variety of processes . A quantitative understanding of the expression and rates of landform erosion , and of volatile redistribution on landforms , is especially essential in interpreting endogenic landforms that have , in many cases , been significantly modified by erosion [ e.g. , 7 - 9 ] .