Europa Archives

This is how the ASL Sign for "Water" was etched onto the Europa Clipper Spacecraft -- NASA

Astrobiology (general), Europa, Missions & Hardware, Societal Issues

An Astrobiology Droid Asks And Answers ‘How Many Ways Can You Say Water’?

by Keith CowingMarch 9, 2024March 9, 2024

I have been living with the image in my mind of the Pioneer plaques and Voyager Golden Records heading across the outer solar system and into interstellar space for half […]

This side of a commemorative plate mounted on NASA’s Europa Clipper spacecraft features U.S. Poet Laureate Ada Limón’s handwritten “In Praise of Mystery: A Poem for Europa.” It will be affixed with a silicon microchip stenciled with names submitted by the public. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech larger image

Astrobiology (general), Europa, Missions & Hardware, Press Release, SETI & Technosignatures, Societal Issues, Water/Hycean Worlds & Oceanography

NASA Unveils The Message Heading to Jupiter’s Moon Europa

by Keith CowingMarch 8, 2024March 8, 2024

Following in NASA’s storied tradition of sending inspirational messages into space, the agency has special plans for Europa Clipper, which later this year will launch toward Jupiter’s moon Europa. The […]

Atmospheres, Climate, Weather, Biogeochemical Cycles & Geobiology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Europa, Habitable Zones, Icy Worlds, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Jupiter, Missions & Hardware, Press Release, Water/Hycean Worlds & Oceanography

Juno Measures Oxygen Production On Europa

by Keith CowingMarch 7, 2024March 7, 2024

NASA’s Juno spacecraft has directly measured charged oxygen and hydrogen molecules from the atmosphere of one of Jupiter’s largest moons, Europa. According to a new study co-authored by SwRI scientists […]

Water ice on the surface of Europa is dissociated by radiolysis to form O2 and H2. These gases can migrate both inwards towards the subsurface ocean or escape the surface by thermal desorption or direct sputtering to form its atmosphere. The lighter H2 occupies a more extended region than heavier O2, which remains closer to the surface. A portion of the neutrals in the atmosphere are ionized and picked up by the magnetospheric plasma. Juno observes these PUIs, with the relative abundances driven by the various processes described here. The radiolysis dissociation inset was adapted from ref. 2. Particles shown are O2 (blue), H2 (pink) and H2+ (grey). -- NASA/Nature Astronomy

Astrochemistry, Astrogeology, Atmospheres, Climate, Weather, Biochemistry & Organic Chemistry, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Europa, Habitable Zones, Icy Worlds, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Jupiter, Press Release

Juno Measures The Rate Of Oxygen Production At Europa

by Keith CowingMarch 4, 2024March 4, 2024

Scientists with NASA’s Juno mission to Jupiter have calculated the rate of oxygen being produced at the Jovian moon Europa to be substantially less than most previous studies.

Heliocentric trajectory associated with the light sail, in conjunction with the relevant heliocentric parameters shown for the setup described in Section 2. -- astro-ph.EP

Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Enceladus, Europa, Icy Worlds, Missions & Hardware, Status Report, Water/Hycean Worlds & Oceanography

A Light Sail Astrobiology Precursor Mission To Enceladus And Europa

by Keith CowingMarch 3, 2024March 3, 2024

Icy moons with subsurface oceans of liquid water rank among the most promising astrobiological targets in our Solar System.

An artist's illustration of how the "chaos terran" of Jupiter's moon Europa may have liquid water pooling beneath its surface. (Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech)

Enceladus, Europa, Ganymede, Icy Worlds, Press Release, Titan, Water/Hycean Worlds & Oceanography

Ice Shell Thickness Reveals Water Temperature On Ocean Worlds

by Keith CowingFebruary 29, 2024February 29, 2024

Cornell University astrobiologists have devised a novel way to determine ocean temperatures of distant worlds based on the thickness of their ice shells, effectively conducting oceanography from space.

This view of the icy surface of Jupiter's moon, Europa, is a mosaic of two pictures taken by the Solid State Imaging system on board the Galileo spacecraft during a close flyby of Europa on Feb. 20, 1997. The pictures were taken from a distance of 1,240 miles (2,000 kilometers ). The area shown is about 8.7 miles by 10.6 miles (14 kilometers by 17 kilometers), and has a resolution of 22 yards (20 meters) per pixel. Illumination is from the right (east). The picture is centered at about 14.8 north latitude, 273.8 west longitude, in Europa's trailing hemisphere. Larger image

Astrogeology, Europa, Icy Worlds, Status Report

Europa’s Double Ridges Produced By Ice Wedging

by Keith CowingFebruary 29, 2024February 29, 2024

Double ridges are sprawling features observed globally across the icy surface of Europa. They consist of two topographic highs flanking a trough.

SwRI is leading two “Precursor Science Investigations for Europa” teams to understand critical topics in advance of NASA’s Europa Clipper mission to the Jupiter moon. Both projects are investigating the connection between Europa’s icy surface and its subsurface, which is thought to contain a potentially habitable ocean. CREDIT NASA/JPL/University of Arizona

Astrochemistry, Astrogeology, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Cryobiology, Europa, Habitable Zones, Icy Worlds, Jupiter, Missions & Hardware, Press Release

SwRI Scientists Lead Two Europa Investigation Teams

by Keith CowingFebruary 27, 2024

Southwest Research Institute is leading two “Precursor Science Investigations for Europa” (PSIE) teams to understand critical topics in advance of NASA’s Europa Clipper mission to the Jupiter moon. Both projects […]

Blood Falls, Antarctica, where microbes live under the ice. Iron and other elements from the bedrock below the ice become oxidized when it interacts with air, producing the rusty red coloring. Source: Jill Mikucki

Analog Studies, Arctic / Antarctic / Alpine, Astrobiology (general), Away Teams & Field Reports, Biosignatures & Paleobiology, Cryobiology, Europa, Exploration Gear & Tech, Extremeophiles and Extreme Environments, Habitable Zones, Icy Worlds, Microbiology & Virology, Origin & Evolution of Life, Press Release, Water/Hycean Worlds & Oceanography

Subglacial Microbial Life On Earth And Beyond

by Keith CowingFebruary 23, 2024February 23, 2024

The search for life beyond Earth fascinates many and inspires big questions: Are we truly alone in the Universe? Is our Earth unique? Is it possible that life beyond Earth […]

Astrochemistry, Astrogeology, Callisto, Comets and Asteroids, Enceladus, Europa, Ganymede, Habitable Zones, Icy Worlds, Press Release, Water/Hycean Worlds & Oceanography

SwRI Scientists Find Evidence Of Geothermal Activity Within Icy Dwarf Planets

by Keith CowingFebruary 15, 2024March 23, 2024

A team co-led by Southwest Research Institute found evidence for hydrothermal or metamorphic activity within the icy dwarf planets Eris and Makemake, located in the Kuiper Belt. Methane detected on […]