The ocean moon of Jupiter might be internally lifeless.
In a recent conference at The Woodlands, Texas, two modeling studies were presented, casting doubt on the potential habitability of Jupiter's moon Europa. While Europa is known to have a saltwater ocean under its icy shell, the studies suggest that the moon's rocky interior might be geologically inactive, which could hinder the conditions necessary for life to thrive. The magma on Europa may not be able to reach the seafloor to create hydrothermal vents, crucial for supporting early life forms. Additionally, the moon's rocky crust appears to be resistant to seismic fracturing, further reducing the chances of geochemical reactions in the ocean that could foster life.
One of the presenters, Austin Green from NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, expressed concern over the findings, stating that if volcanism is indeed essential for habitability, Europa's ocean may be uninhabitable. These conclusions add to a series of setbacks regarding Europa's potential for hosting life. Radiation from Jupiter bombarding the moon's ice shell has been found to create less oxygen in the subsurface ocean than previously believed, based on measurements from NASA's Juno spacecraft. Efforts using NASA's JWST space telescope to detect erupting plumes on Europa have also yielded no significant findings, contradicting earlier hints of geysers observed by the Hubble Space Telescope.
The focus of the new studies was on the deep rock layers beneath Europa's ice and ocean, which are believed to begin around 130 kilometers below the moon's surface. Paul Byrne, a planetary scientist at Washington University in St. Louis, emphasized the importance of considering icy worlds like Europa as predominantly rocky worlds due to the significant volume and mass of rock present. Two scenarios were evaluated to assess the strength of Europa's lithosphere, with one assuming strong, unaltered seafloor rocks and the other assuming weaker rocks affected by interactions with water.
The models indicated that even under the weaker scenario, the seafloor rocks would resist slipping in potential quakes, limiting the exposure of fresh rock on the ocean floor and hindering chemical reactions with the water that could support life. On the other hand, another team led by Austin Green simulated melted rock in Europa's mantle to determine whether it could rise up into the lithosphere to create the necessary conditions for volcanic activity. The results showed that the magma struggled to reach the surface, suggesting a lack of significant volcanic activity on Europa.
Despite these findings, it is important to note that the models are based on limited data, and there may be factors not accounted for in the simulations. Some scientists, like William McKinnon, caution that even seemingly inactive celestial bodies can experience volcanic eruptions. McKinnon suggests that Europa's volcanic activity might be periodic, potentially influenced by its orbital resonance with Io, Jupiter's volcanic moon.
The possibility of past conditions on Europa being more conducive to life is also raised, with the consensus being that the discussion on Europa's seafloor geology is long overdue. The teams involved in the studies are planning to submit their findings for publication, aiming to address the question of whether the current conditions on Europa's seafloor could sustain any form of biology. While the outlook may seem bleak based on the recent models, the potential for life on Europa remains a topic of ongoing scientific investigation.
Source: https://www.science.org/content/article/jupiter-s-ocean-moon-may-be-dead-inside
One of the presenters, Austin Green from NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, expressed concern over the findings, stating that if volcanism is indeed essential for habitability, Europa's ocean may be uninhabitable. These conclusions add to a series of setbacks regarding Europa's potential for hosting life. Radiation from Jupiter bombarding the moon's ice shell has been found to create less oxygen in the subsurface ocean than previously believed, based on measurements from NASA's Juno spacecraft. Efforts using NASA's JWST space telescope to detect erupting plumes on Europa have also yielded no significant findings, contradicting earlier hints of geysers observed by the Hubble Space Telescope.
The focus of the new studies was on the deep rock layers beneath Europa's ice and ocean, which are believed to begin around 130 kilometers below the moon's surface. Paul Byrne, a planetary scientist at Washington University in St. Louis, emphasized the importance of considering icy worlds like Europa as predominantly rocky worlds due to the significant volume and mass of rock present. Two scenarios were evaluated to assess the strength of Europa's lithosphere, with one assuming strong, unaltered seafloor rocks and the other assuming weaker rocks affected by interactions with water.
The models indicated that even under the weaker scenario, the seafloor rocks would resist slipping in potential quakes, limiting the exposure of fresh rock on the ocean floor and hindering chemical reactions with the water that could support life. On the other hand, another team led by Austin Green simulated melted rock in Europa's mantle to determine whether it could rise up into the lithosphere to create the necessary conditions for volcanic activity. The results showed that the magma struggled to reach the surface, suggesting a lack of significant volcanic activity on Europa.
Despite these findings, it is important to note that the models are based on limited data, and there may be factors not accounted for in the simulations. Some scientists, like William McKinnon, caution that even seemingly inactive celestial bodies can experience volcanic eruptions. McKinnon suggests that Europa's volcanic activity might be periodic, potentially influenced by its orbital resonance with Io, Jupiter's volcanic moon.
The possibility of past conditions on Europa being more conducive to life is also raised, with the consensus being that the discussion on Europa's seafloor geology is long overdue. The teams involved in the studies are planning to submit their findings for publication, aiming to address the question of whether the current conditions on Europa's seafloor could sustain any form of biology. While the outlook may seem bleak based on the recent models, the potential for life on Europa remains a topic of ongoing scientific investigation.
Source: https://www.science.org/content/article/jupiter-s-ocean-moon-may-be-dead-inside
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