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A team of NASA scientists recently detected water vapor above Europa’s surface for the first time...The team reported these measurements in the journal Nature Astronomy on Nov. 18.
They (scientists) detected that enough water was being released from Europa (5,202 pounds per second) to fill up an Olympic-sized swimming pool in a couple of minutes and that the water shows up infrequently.
This update helps support the idea that there may be a liquid water ocean, potentially twice as big as our planet’s, existing beneath Europa’s ice shell. The plumes could also be obtaining water vapor from shallow reservoirs of melted water ice below the moon’s surface.
Now, we have just been told that "Frozen" Europa, a Jupiterian satellite twice as far again away from the Sun, has liquid water under its ice crust and possible puddles on its surface?
That does not describe Europa, but no. Both its density and seismology tell us that the Moon is not that.
Is our Moon an ice ball covered with dust too?
originally posted by: Phage
a reply to: gort51
Now, we have just been told that "Frozen" Europa, a Jupiterian satellite twice as far again away from the Sun, has liquid water under its ice crust and possible puddles on its surface?
A lot more that twice as far, more than three times as far. Europa is subject to extreme tidal forces exerted by Jupiter. It is constantly being flexed by these forces. This causes friction (rock grinding against rock) which creates the heat which warms the ocean beneath the frozen crust. No puddles on its surface. Not enough atmosphere.
It has been surmised for quite a while that Europa is covered by a liquid ocean beneath its ice. Its density is a big clue.
That does not describe Europa, but no. Both its density and seismology tell us that the Moon is not that.
Is our Moon an ice ball covered with dust too?
astronomy.nmsu.edu...
originally posted by: lostbook
If scientists had evidence of water on Europa then why do they need proof of water vapor?
originally posted by: Soylent Green Is People
originally posted by: lostbook
If scientists had evidence of water on Europa then why do they need proof of water vapor?
Water vapor spewing out into space is easier to sample than trying to get to that water when it's under 1 km of ice.
The same idea goes for Saturn's Moon Enceladus, which also shoots water geysers into space. The Cassini probe around Saturn already confirmed that the water shooting from the geysers of Enceladus have organic molecules (not necessarily life, but the building blocks of life), and found that water to be salty.
Salt water is a good thing for life, because that means that Enceladus' oceans are in contact with minerals -- minerals that are required for life processes to occur (for life as we know it).
NASA Astrobiologist Chris McKay has been a proponent of a sample return mission that would bring back water from Enceladus or Europa, and grabbing that water "out of the sky" is easier than digging for it.
Life-Hunting Mission Would Bring Samples Back from Saturn Moon Enceladus
NASA Article - Is it Snowing Microbes on Enceladus?
Here's a paper McKay and others wrote on the subject of a sample return mission (opens directly to a 4-page PDF)
ciclops.org...
originally posted by: lostbook
Ok, I didn't know it is a sample-return mission. Thanks