 Today , Ceres appears to be a <unk> inactive body , with a surface sculpted only by impacts . The presence of significant amounts of water ice in its composition raises the possibility that Ceres has or had a layer of liquid water in its interior . This hypothetical layer is often called an ocean . If such a layer of liquid water exists , it is hypothesized to be located between the rocky core and ice mantle like that of the theorized ocean on Europa . The existence of an ocean is more likely if <unk> ( i.e. salts ) , ammonia , sulfuric acid or other <unk> compounds are dissolved in the water . 
