What is the evidence for a liquid water ocean on Europa?

What is the evidence for a liquid water ocean on Europa?

Data from a NASA planetary mission have provided scientists evidence of what appears to be a body of liquid water, equal in volume to the North American Great Lakes, beneath the icy surface of Jupiter’s moon Europa. The data suggest there is significant exchange between Europa’s icy shell and the ocean beneath.

How does Europa have water?

On Earth, nearly everywhere we find water, we find life. The reason Europa has liquid water is because tides — similar to the tidal interactions between Earth and its moon — cause Europa’s ice shell and interior to flex during the course of its orbit around Jupiter.

Can liquid water exist on Europa?

Earth is the only known planet to have bodies of liquid water on its surface. Europa is thought to have subsurface liquid water. Scientists hypothesize that Europa’s hidden ocean is salty, tidal, and causes its ice surface to move, resulting in large fractures which are clearly visible in the above image.

What is the evidence for a liquid water ocean on Europa and why is this interesting to scientists searching for extraterrestrial life?

What is the evidence for a liquid water ocean on Europa, and why is this interesting to scientists searching for extraterrestrial life? The surface of Europa has blocks of ice that are believed to be collided with one another. Adding a week magnetic field implies the presence of a liquid layer below the surface.

Why is the idea of a subsurface liquid ocean on Jupiter’s moon Europa so exciting?

Another interesting possibility is that volcanic vents on the seafloor of Europa’s ocean might have contributed to the process of the water’s becoming chloride-rich. That would be exciting, since such vents on Earth provide heat and nutrients to a wide variety of life in our world’s deep oceans.

Can water exist as a liquid in Europa justify your answer?

It is far far out from the sun and yet it’s got this liquid water ocean, and the reason that Europa has liquid water is because it’s orbiting Jupiter and the tidal tug and pull causes Europa to flex up and down and all that tidal energy turns into mechanical energy, which turns into friction and heat that helps …

What allows Europa to have an ocean of water while other planets and moons do not?

On Europa, the tidal heating may have heated its interior enough to melt ice and produce a subsurface ocean. The Earth and Moon also experience tidal deformation as the Moon orbits Earth, but the heat released is not significant for either object.

Did the Moon ever have water?

Lunar water is water that is present on the Moon. It was first discovered by ISRO through its Chandrayaan mission. Scientists have found water ice in the cold, permanently shadowed craters at the Moon’s poles. Water molecules are also present in the extremely thin lunar atmosphere.

Who discovered Europa?

Galileo Galilei
Simon Marius
Europa/Discoverers

Europa is one of the Galilean moons of Jupiter, along with Io, Ganymede and Callisto. Astronomer Galileo Galilei gets the credit for discovering these moons, among the largest in the solar system. Europa is the smallest of the four but it is one of the more intriguing satellites.

Where does the water on Europa come from?

Data indicates Europa may have plenty of water – a salty ocean beneath its crust that contains more water than Earth’s ocean. Scientists also think there’s a rocky seafloor at the bottom of the ocean. The interaction between the ocean and the rocks could possibly supply chemical nutrients for living organisms.

Is there liquid water on the moon Europa?

New Evidence for Liquid Water on Europa. Nov. 16, 2011: In a potentially significant finding in the search for life beyond Earth, scientists studying data from NASA’s Galileo probe have discovered what appears to be a body of liquid water the volume of the North American Great Lakes locked inside the icy shell of Jupiter’s moon Europa.

What kind of ice is on the surface of Europa?

From ground-based telescopes, scientists knew that Europa’s surface is mostly water ice, and scientists have found strong evidence that beneath the ice crust is an ocean of liquid water or slushy ice.

Where are the ingredients for life found on Europa?

Credit: NASA/JPL/University of Arizona The chemical elements for life might be found within Europa’s icy shell, as well as its ocean. Tidal heating could be powering a system that cycles water and nutrients between the moon’s rocky interior, ice shell and ocean, creating a watery environment rich with chemistry conducive to life.