Ionizing radiation is known to have a destructive effect on biology by causing damage to the DNA, cells, and production of Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS), among other things.
Europa
Posted inAstrochemistry, Astrogeology, Atmospheres, Climate, Weather, Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Europa, Habitable Zones, Icy Worlds, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Press Release, Water/Hycean Worlds & Oceanography
Explaining The Mysterious Distribution Of Hydrogen Peroxide On Europa
Southwest Research Institute experiments offer a new view on a hydrogen peroxide chemical cycle on Europa. Carbon-bearing species rising to Europa’s icy surface from a subsurface ocean are irradiated by […]
Posted inAstrochemistry, Astrogeology, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biophysics, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Europa, Icy Worlds, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Jupiter, Mapping, Geodesy, Cartography, Bathymetry, Missions & Hardware, Status Report, Water/Hycean Worlds & Oceanography
The Europa Imaging System (EIS) Investigation
The Europa Imaging System (EIS) consists of a Narrow-Angle Camera (NAC) and a Wide-Angle Camera (WAC) that are designed to work together to address high-priority science objectives regarding Europa’s geology, […]
Posted inAway Teams & Field Reports, Biophysics, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Caves, Craters, Mountains, Subsurface, Lava Tubes, Europa, Extremeophiles and Extreme Environments, Fossils & Paleontology, Genomics, Proteomics, Bioinformatics, Habitable Zones, Lava / magma ocean / Volcanic Worlds, Microbiology & Virology, Missions & Hardware, Origin & Evolution of Life, Press Release, ROVs/Submersibles/Diving, Sample Return, Water/Hycean Worlds & Oceanography
Answers To The Existence Of Alien Life Might Be Found In Earth’s Deep-sea Volcanoes
While popular culture commonly depicts extraterrestrial life as little green men with large, oval-shaped heads, it’s most likely that if there is life beyond our planet and within our solar […]
Posted inAriel, Atmospheres, Climate, Weather, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Ceres, Enceladus, Europa, Habitable Zones, Icy Worlds, Status Report, Water/Hycean Worlds & Oceanography
Assessing Ocean World Habitability With HWO
The instrument payload of the future Habitable Worlds Observatory (HWO) will span a wide range of wavelengths, including the ultraviolet (UV) region that cannot be easily accessed from the ground […]
Posted inAnalog Studies, Arctic / Antarctic / Alpine, Atmospheres, Climate, Weather, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biophysics, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Cryobiology, Enceladus, Europa, Ganymede, Icy Worlds, Press Release, Titania, Water/Hycean Worlds & Oceanography
A Thermodynamic Perspective On Potential Life In Icy Ocean Worlds
Dr. Seda Işık, who completed her doctorate at Istanbul Technical University (ITU) Eurasia Institute of Earth Sciences in the Earth System Science Program, achieved significant results in interpreting chemical evidence […]
![A: Schematic of the ultra-high vacuum chamber used for electron irradiation experiments of Europan ice analogs. B: Shift in the resonant frequency of the QCM during co-deposition of H2O and CO2 ice from dedicated gas dosers. We first condense CO2 [1] from a doser at a constant rate of (0.25 ± 0.01) Hz/s (zoomed in the inset). We then admit water vapor [2] through a second doser which increases the deposition rate to (4.8 ± 0.2) Hz/s. When the film approaches the desired thickness (2.8 µm, which corresponds to a frequency shift of ∼ 21, 000 Hz), we terminate H2O gas deposition first [3] and continue with CO2 condensation briefly to ensure the terminal CO2 rate did not drift significantly from the initial value (< 10%). The CO2 doser is shut off at [4]. This co-deposition scheme using multiple gas dosers with QCM gravimetry allows for producing mixed ices with precisely tailored composition. This film has CO2 intimately mixed with water ice at (2.5 ± 0.1)% (by number) concentration. -- astro-ph.EP](https://i0.wp.com/astrobiology.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Laboratory-Investigation-Of-CO2-Driven.png?resize=1200%2C733&ssl=1)
Posted inBiochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Charon, Europa, Ganymede, Icy Worlds, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Status Report
Laboratory Investigation Of CO2-Driven Enhancement Of Radiolytic H2O2 On Europa And Other Icy Moons
Observations of Europa’s leading hemisphere reveal elevated H2O2 in the warmer, low latitude chaos terrains compared to the colder, polar regions.
Posted inAstrochemistry, Astrogeology, Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Europa, Icy Worlds, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Status Report
An Assessment of Organics Detection and Characterization On The Surface Of Europa With Infrared Spectroscopy
Organics, if they do exist on Europa, may only be present in trace amounts on the surface. NASA’s upcoming mission Europa Clipper is going to provide global, high quality data […]
Posted inAI - Data - Apps - Cybernetics, Astrogeology, Astronomy & Telescopes, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Enceladus, Europa, Exoplanets, -moons, -comets, Habitable Zones, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Mapping, Geodesy, Cartography, Bathymetry, Origin & Evolution of Life, Status Report, Water/Hycean Worlds & Oceanography
Interpretable Machine Learning Biosignature Detection From Ocean Worlds Analogue CO2 Isotopologue Data
Future missions to icy ocean worlds (OW) such as Europa and Enceladus will evaluate the habitability and potential for biosignatures on these worlds.
Posted inAstrochemistry, Astrogeology, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Europa, Icy Worlds, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Press Release
Uncovering Ongoing Surface Modification On Europa
The JWST shows that ice on Europa is developing at different rates in different places, such as Tara Regio, where crystalline ice (lighter colors) is found on the surface as […]