Extremeophiles and Extreme Environments

Salinity of Europa's Ocean

By Keith Cowing
February 28, 2007

New research from NAI’s SETI Institute Team published online in Icarus today outlines the empirical range of salt concentrations permitted for Europa’s ocean. Solutions within the range imply high, near-saturation salt concentrations and require a Europan ice shell of less than 15 km thick, with a best fit at 4 km ice thickness. The paper examines the implications for subsurface habitability. [source: NAI Newsletter]

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