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The ocean within Jupiter's moon Europa may be just right for life - Printable Version

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The ocean within Jupiter's moon Europa may be just right for life - senona - 05-19-2016

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Quote:Jupiter's icy moon Europa may have the chemical composition needed to support life, according to new research. 
A new study published in the journal Geophysical Research Letters suggests that even if Europa doesn't have hydrothermal volcanic activity beneath its icy crust, the moon's salty subsurface ocean may still be habitable, a possibility thought unlikely before now.

SEE ALSO: Dark streaks on Jupiter's icy moon Europa might actually be sea salt

NASA scientists compared Europa's ability to produce hydrogen and oxygen — two key elements for life as we know it — to Earth's and discovered that the moon might have more in common with our planet than expected. 

"We're studying an alien ocean using methods developed to understand the movement of energy and nutrients in Earth's own systems," NASA scientist Steve Vance, co-author of the study, said in a statement. 

"The cycling of oxygen and hydrogen in Europa's ocean will be a major driver for Europa's ocean chemistry and any life there, just as it is on Earth."

On Earth, many basic life forms thrive near hot, volcanic vents in the deep ocean, but scientists aren't yet sure if Europa has similar activity percolating from its sea floor.


You can read the rest of the article here.



Could Europa's oceans hold LIFE? Salty liquid beneath moon's icy shell may have a similar chemical makeup to Earth’s seas
  • Europa's potential for producing hydrogen and oxygen was studied
  • Nasa did this by modelling how cracks in Europa's seafloor open up 
  • Cracks expose fresh rock to seawater, where chemical reactions take place
  • On both Earth and Europa. study found oxygen production is 10 times higher than hydrogen production - a condition in which life can thrive
Quote:Europa's rocky, neighboring Jovian moon, Io, is the most volcanically active body in the solar system, due to heat produced by the stretching and squeezing effects of Jupiter's gravity as it orbits the planet.


Scientists have long considered it possible that Europa might also have volcanic activity, as well as hydrothermal vents, where mineral-laden hot water would emerge from the sea floor.

According to Vance, researchers previously speculated that volcanism is paramount for creating a habitable environment in Europa's ocean. If such activity is not occurring in its rocky interior.

The thinking goes, the large flux of oxidants from the surface would make the ocean too acidic, and toxic, for life.

'But actually, if the rock is cold, it's easier to fracture. This allows for a huge amount of hydrogen to be produced by serpentinization that would balance the oxidants in a ratio comparable to that in Earth's oceans,' he said.

The results are published online this week in the journal Geophysical Research Letters.
Nasa is currently formulating a mission to explore Europa and investigate in depth whether the icy moon might be habitable.



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Jupiter's moon, Europa, is believed to hide a deep ocean of salty liquid water beneath its icy shell. Now, a new Nasa study has revealed that this ocean may have an Earth-like chemical balance that could sustain life

Quote:Jupiter's icy moon Europa is slightly smaller than Earth's moon. 
Europa orbits Jupiter every 3.5 days and is tidally locked - just like Earth's Moon - so that the same side of Europa faces Jupiter at all times.

It is thought to have an iron core, a rocky mantle and a surface ocean of salty water, like Earth.

Unlike on Earth, however, this ocean is deep enough to cover the whole surface of Europa, and being far from the sun, the ocean surface is globally frozen over.

Many experts believe the hidden ocean surrounding Europa, warmed by powerful tidal forces caused by Jupiter's gravity, may have conditions favourable for life.
 

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Geological surveys have estimated the ice on Europa (illustrated) is between 5 miles (8km) and 8 miles (13km) thick. Using simulations, this ice could be breached and the ocean exposed by comets between half a mile (0.7km) and one mile (1.5 km) in diameter. Such events recur at intervals of three to seven million years



To think we haven't even explored 5% of the Universe, and they wonder if life exists out there.
Mighty big space just to be us Earthlings here.



 

RE: The ocean within Jupiter's moon Europa may be just right for life - guohua - 05-19-2016

OH, WOW, That's Cool!  :cool: Makes you think  :thinking:. Great Thread!!!!