Table of Contents
What is special about Europa?
From ground-based telescopes, scientists knew that Europa’s surface is mostly water ice, and scientists have found strong evidence that beneath the ice crust is an ocean of liquid water or slushy ice. Europa’s vast and unfathomably deep ocean is widely considered the most promising place to look for life beyond Earth.
How does Europa have water?
On Earth, nearly everywhere we find water, we find life. The reason Europa has liquid water is because tides — similar to the tidal interactions between Earth and its moon — cause Europa’s ice shell and interior to flex during the course of its orbit around Jupiter.
Why does Europa have an ocean?
On Europa, heating and increased pressure caused by early radioactive decay or later subsurface tidal movement, would have caused a breakdown of water-containing minerals. Trapped water would be released, and Europa’s underground ocean would be born.
Does Europa have fish?
Fish, probably not. Europa’s subglacial ocean is thought to be salty, perhaps much saltier than Earth’s ocean is. The dominant ions in Europa’s ocean are most likely magnesium and sulfate, whereas sodium and chloride ions are most abundant in Earth’s ocean.
What makes Europa habitable?
For Europa to be potentially habitable, it would need to have the essential chemical ingredients for the chemistry of life. These include carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen, phosphorus and sulfur, which are common elements, and scientists think it’s likely they were present on Europa as it formed.
Are there volcanoes on Europa?
Europa is one of the rare planetary bodies that might have maintained volcanic activity over billions of years, and possibly the only one beyond Earth that has large water reservoirs and a long-lived source of energy.
What are 5 facts about Europa?
Below are some more interesting facts about Europa:
- – Europa is named after a Phoenician noblewoman.
- – Europa’s surface is younger than the moon itself.
- – Unprotected humans on Europa would die within a day.
- – Europa has a liquid ocean under its crust.
- – Europa may have twice as much water as Earth’s oceans.
What kind of life is on Europa?
The type of life that might inhabit Europa likely would not be powered by photosynthesis – but by chemical reactions. Europa’s surface is blasted by radiation from Jupiter. That’s a bad thing for life on the surface – it couldn’t survive. But the radiation may create fuel for life in an ocean below the surface.
How big is Europa compared to the Moon?
Size: Europa is 1,900 miles (3,100 km) in diameter, making it smaller than Earth’s moon, but larger than Pluto. It is the smallest of the Galilean moons . Temperature: Europa’s surface temperature at the equator never rises above minus 260 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 160 degrees Celsius).
What do scientists know about Europa?
From ground-based telescopes, scientists knew that Europa’s surface is mostly water ice, and scientists have found strong evidence that beneath the ice crust is an ocean of liquid water or slushy ice. In 1979 the two Voyager spacecraft passed through the Jovian system, providing the first hints that Europa might contain liquid water.
How much water is on Europa?
Europa has more water than the entire Earth. Europa’s water would form a sphere 1,090 miles (1,754 km) in diameter. Earth’s water-sphere would be 860 miles (1,384 km) across. Europa’s ocean is 10 times deeper than the seas of Earth.
Does Europa have water?
Europa has liquid water because the moon is orbiting Jupiter, and the tidal tug and pull causes Europa to flex up and down — all that tidal energy turns into friction and heat that helps maintain this liquid water ocean beneath an icy shell.