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Today NASA Scientists Positively Detect Water Vapor on Europa

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posted on Nov, 18 2019 @ 06:43 PM
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Previously, scientists were not able to confirm the presence of water vapor in the giant geysers that erupt from Europa's surface. Scientists had evidence that liquid water was present deep beneath Europa's surface, but today, for the first time scientists have confirmed the presence of water vapor in Europa's plumes.



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.

www.geek.com...




posted on Nov, 18 2019 @ 06:46 PM
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Check, the Extraterrestrials do not need EA*RTH water.

a reply to: shawmanfromny
Nice share 👍



posted on Nov, 18 2019 @ 08:01 PM
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Unlocking the mysteries of the Universe.

Really, does our comprehension of physics really apply.

We are told the moon is so cold, any water on its surface is frozen.

We are told that Mars is sooo cold, that not only water, but methane and CO2 can freeze on the 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??

So, Does Europa have a molten super hot core? Is Jupiter a very Hot planet?

Or Do we still not understand what we are observing?

Is our Moon an ice ball covered with dust too?

Is all the Martian water just under the surface, full of living creatures?

I hope we find out one day.



posted on Nov, 18 2019 @ 08:06 PM
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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.



Is our Moon an ice ball covered with dust too?
That does not describe Europa, but no. Both its density and seismology tell us that the Moon is not that.


astronomy.nmsu.edu...
edit on 11/18/2019 by Phage because: (no reason given)



posted on Nov, 18 2019 @ 08:58 PM
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posted on Nov, 19 2019 @ 01:58 AM
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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.



Is our Moon an ice ball covered with dust too?
That does not describe Europa, but no. Both its density and seismology tell us that the Moon is not that.


astronomy.nmsu.edu...


Excellent post phage.

I love when you stick to settled science, and don't inject emotion into the discussion.




posted on Nov, 19 2019 @ 02:35 AM
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a reply to: Phage

Grassiass Sinyor.

Explanatione Mucho Perfecto.

El Smarto Scientistas.






posted on Nov, 19 2019 @ 02:36 AM
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a reply to: gort51

Your Spanish is atrocious.



posted on Nov, 19 2019 @ 10:01 AM
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This is great news but isn't this already known?



posted on Nov, 19 2019 @ 10:09 AM
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"Previously, scientists were not able to confirm the presence of water vapor in the giant geysers that erupt from Europa's surface. Scientists had evidence that liquid water was present deep beneath Europa's surface, but today, for the first time scientists have confirmed the presence of water vapor in Europa's plumes"

If scientists had evidence of water on Europa then why do they need proof of water vapor?



posted on Nov, 19 2019 @ 12:14 PM
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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...



posted on Nov, 19 2019 @ 04:34 PM
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I

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...



Ok, I didn't know it is a sample-return mission. Thanks



posted on Nov, 19 2019 @ 06:04 PM
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originally posted by: lostbook
Ok, I didn't know it is a sample-return mission. Thanks


Sorry for any misunderstanding, but there is NOT a sample return mission planned yet. They would like to do one someday, but none are "on the books" s they say.

However, having the water being spewed out from geysers from the oceans of Europa or Enceladus does make a sample return mission -- or even any mission that is sent to analyze the water from those worlds -- more feasible than a mission that would need to somehow get to that sub-surface water first.

Europa Clipper is a mission that is happening (funded and in design/development). Europa Clipper will NOT be returning a sample, but the plan is for it to hopefully analyze the water from Europa's plumes in situ as it makes several passes over Europa, and potentially through the plumes.

Europa Clipper Overview - JPL

Europa Clipper - Wikipedia






edit on 11/19/2019 by Soylent Green Is People because: (no reason given)



posted on Nov, 19 2019 @ 07:00 PM
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originally posted by: Phage
a reply to: gort51

Your Spanish is atrocious.


Spanish?....I thought it was Italian.....


Oh well.....See See Senyor.

Spanglish perhaps?



posted on Nov, 19 2019 @ 11:38 PM
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....another bug hunt.




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