Surface of Jupiter’s Moon Europa Churned by Small Impacts
upstart writes:
Surface of Jupiter's Moon Europa Churned by Small Impacts:
It's easy to see the impact of space debris on our Moon, where the ancient, battered surface is covered with craters and scars. Jupiter's icy moon Europa withstands a similar trouncing - along with a punch of super-intense radiation. As the uppermost surface of the icy moon churns, material brought to the surface is zapped by high-energy electron radiation accelerated by Jupiter.
NASA-funded scientists are studying the cumulative effects of small impacts on Europa's surface as they prepare to explore the distant moon with the Europa Clipper mission and study the possibilities for a future lander mission. Europa is of particular scientific interest because its salty ocean, which lies beneath a thick layer of ice, may currently have conditions suitable for existing life. That water may even make its way into the icy crust and onto the moon's surface.
New research and modeling estimate how far down that surface is disturbed by the process called "impact gardening." The work, published July 12 in Nature Astronomy, estimates that the surface of Europa has been churned by small impacts to an average depth of about 12 inches (30 centimeters) over tens of millions of years. And any molecules that might qualify as potential biosignatures, which include chemical signs of life, could be affected at that depth.
Journal Reference:
E. S. Costello, C. B. Phillips, P. G. Lucey, et al. Impact gardening on Europa and repercussions for possible biosignatures, Nature Astronomy (DOI: 10.1038/s41550-021-01393-1)
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