Europa's Hidden Ocean May Be Even Harder to Reach Than We Thought
A new study published in Nature Astronomy suggests that accessing the deep oceans of Jupiter's moon Europa may be more difficult than previously thought. Simulations indicate that water rising through ice fractures likely loses heat and freezes before reaching the surface.
Why it matters
This research recalibrates expectations for future space exploration missions aiming to search for life in Europa's subsurface oceans.
Earlier this year, researchers warned against the dangers of “fluffy ice” on Europa’s surface. If unaccounted for, missions headed to Jupiter’s moon could drown themselves in its deep, icy oceans. A new study suggests that this won’t happen—but for reasons that won’t make our Europa trips any easier.
A paper published yesterday in Nature Astronomy challenges the assumption that the shallow pools of water on Europa’s surface represent a direct access route to the moon’s deep, icy oceans. In theory, this supposed access route could make it easier for a probe to explore how liquid water from Europa’s deep oceans traveled through cracks in the ice to the surface. Unfortunately, we’re not sure if this even happens.
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