Under its bright, frosty shell, Jupiter’s moon Europa is thought to harbor a salty ocean, making it a world that might be one of the most habitable places in our solar system.
And it’s an open question whether Europa’s ocean has it.
Now, astronomers have nailed down how much of the molecule is made at the icy moon’s surface, which could be a source of oxygen for the waters below.
Using data from NASA’s Juno mission, the results, published on Monday in the journal Nature Astronomy, suggest that the frozen world generates less oxygen than some astronomers may have hoped for.
Charged particles from space bombard the moon’s icy crust, breaking down frozen water into hydrogen and oxygen molecules.
Persons:
“ It’s, ”, Jamey Szalay, “
Organizations:
Princeton University