. 24/7 Space News .
OUTER PLANETS
Search for life on Jupiter moon Europa bolstered by new study
by Calley Hair
Washington DC (UPI) Apr 23, 2021

Scientists say they are one step closer to understanding Europa, a moon orbiting Jupiter that's widely considered the prime candidate for alien life forms within the solar system.

Europa is believed to contain subterranean salty water hidden by a thick outer shell of ice. But according to a new study examining the moon's topology, a certain topographical feature called a "double ridge" could indicate the presence of liquid water much closer to the surface than previously thought.

"Our results suggest that shallow liquid water is spatially and temporally ubiquitous across Europa's ice shell," stated the study, published this week in the scientific journal Nature Communications.

Scientists estimate that the water surrounding Europa is around 90 miles deep. The gravitational pull of other passing moons causes Europa to gently shift and flex, helping it to generate its own heat. The result is a vast, mild, saltwater ocean that's potentially an ideal incubator for life.

However, the salty liquid is hidden under a crust of ice that researchers estimate is around 18 miles deep. In order to investigate the ocean's depths, any spacecraft that landed on Europa would need to drill down -- or so they thought.

Double ridges could indicate the presence of liquid water barely a mile below the surface. An abundant geographical feature that appears as a pair of gashes in the moon's surface, each parallel peak is hundreds of miles long, up to 1,000 feet high and separated by a valley around half a mile wide.

Such double ridges also appear somewhere much closer to home -- Greenland.

On a recent pass, a NASA satellite captured images of a smaller version of a double ridge identical to the ones that crisscross the surface of Europa. Researchers found that the Greenland double ridge formed when liquid water rose up from beneath and refroze. The ice expanded, forcing the ridges upward.

"Using surface elevation and radar sounding data, we show that this double ridge was formed by successive refreezing, pressurization, and fracture of a shallow water sill within the ice sheet," states the study, which was conducted by three researchers at Stanford University.

If Europa's double ridges formed the same way, it would indicate that liquid water exists on the moon less than a mile below the surface, the authors suggested.

"If this mechanism controls double ridge formation at Europa, the ubiquity of double ridges on the surface implies that liquid water is and has been a pervasive feature within the brittle lid of the ice shell, suggesting that shallow water processes may be even more dominant in shaping Europa's dynamics, surface morphology, and habitability than previously thought," they wrote.

In 2024, NASA plans to launch the Europa Clipper, a spacecraft that will use sophisticated radar to investigate the icy surface of Europa. The agency has also proposed a Europa lander that would drill into the ice, though no launch date has been set.


Related Links
The million outer planets of a star called Sol


Thanks for being there;
We need your help. The SpaceDaily news network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain.

With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords.

Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year.

If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
SpaceDaily Monthly Supporter
$5+ Billed Monthly


paypal only
SpaceDaily Contributor
$5 Billed Once


credit card or paypal


OUTER PLANETS
Jupiter's moon has splendid dunes
New Brunswick NJ (SPX) Apr 20, 2022
Scientists have long wondered how Jupiter's innermost moon, Io, has meandering ridges as grand as any that can be seen in movies like "Dune." Now, a Rutgers research study has provided a new explanation of how dunes can form even on a surface as icy and roiling as Io's. The study, published in the journal Nature Communications, is based on a study of the physical processes controlling grain motion coupled with an analysis of images from the 14-year mission of NASA's Galileo spacecraft, which allow ... read more

Comment using your Disqus, Facebook, Google or Twitter login.



Share this article via these popular social media networks
del.icio.usdel.icio.us DiggDigg RedditReddit GoogleGoogle

OUTER PLANETS
SpaceX launches NASA's Crew-4 to ISS after week-long delay

NASA Chief expects cooperation with Russia on ISS to continue

NASA extends exploration for 8 planetary science missions

Report identifies priority planetary science mission and planetary defense efforts as strategic investments

OUTER PLANETS
Artemis I, Crew-4, and Starlink Rockets on the Pad

Vega-C: Launcher integration begins for inaugural flight VV21

SpaceX launches its latest crew to ISS for NASA

Ax-1 splashes down off Florida coast, ending first private mission to ISS

OUTER PLANETS
Mars Helicopter spots landing rig and chute from Perseverance

Curiosity goes oops Sols 3451-3452

New geological research shows Mars may have been more habitable than we thought

Meteorites from the red desert of Australia support search for life on the red planet Mars

OUTER PLANETS
Xi Focus: Invigorating China's space exploration dream

China opens Shenzhou-13 return capsule

NASA Chief slams China's refusal to cooperate with US

Tianzhou-3 docks with Tianhe's front docking port

OUTER PLANETS
Smiling Sam

Inmarsat CEO issues warning over space sustainability with 'unmanaged expansion'

OneWeb agrees satellite launch program with New Space India

Kymeta to offer mission-critical LEO connectivity through OneWeb Technologies

OUTER PLANETS
Multi-energy electron device creates space environment in the lab

Experts issue call to regulate space debris as levels of junk mount

Clever monkeys plan their food trips to avoid stronger rivals

Researchers create exotic magnetic structures with laser light

OUTER PLANETS
Hubble observations used to answer key exoplanet questions

The instability at the beginning of the solar system

Could the blueprint for life have been generated in asteroids

Origin of complex cells started without oxygen

OUTER PLANETS
Search for life on Jupiter moon Europa bolstered by new study

Greenland Ice, Jupiter Moon Share Similar Feature

Abundant features on Europa bodes well for search for extraterrestrial life

Jupiter's moon has splendid dunes









The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2024 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us.