Europa
Europa: Potential for life?
In 1610, the famous scientist, Galileo Galilei, looked upon a tiny moon of Jupiter later named Europa. A tiny nondescript moon of Jupiter, it did not seem like an attractive place for life. Europa is known to be covered in ice and slightly smaller than the Earth’s moon. At first glance this tiny moon seems like an inhospitable place where life cannot exist. However lately the theory that life may be present in Europa has gained momentum.
Despite the physical discrepancies, the oceans of Europa are very similar to our own oceans. How did scientists come to that conclusion? This is due to discoveries made by deep sea submersibles in the last 60 years. Researchers have found that life can exist that depend on a source of energy other than the sun. Here, deep in the oceans where the pressure is so great and there is no sunlight, life flourishes.
Europa is frozen with an icy crust estimated to be a few kilometres thick covering the whole moon. Underneath is Europa’s ocean and a rocky moon with an iron core. With all the ice what keeps the oceans liquid? The reason is tidal heating caused by the immense gravitational pull of Jupiter. This planet, due to its mass exerts a huge gravitational force, which in turn heats up the interior of Europa. Due to this scientists believe there are many hydrothermal vents in the ocean of Europa. These vents let out high energy chemicals that could be used to sustain life.
Like any other astronomers who knows about Europa, this had caught NASA’s and ESA’s attention. For a better understanding of Europa, they are trying to send a probe to Europa. For the success, both ESA and NASA have joined forces. They have decided to create the probe called the Clipper. The initial plan to explore Europa was to insert a deep sea submersible into the sea using a drill. However due to the heavy weight of the cabling, the plan was aborted. Instead they have come up with a different plan of sending a satellite to orbit
In 1610, the famous scientist, Galileo Galilei, looked upon a tiny moon of Jupiter later named Europa. A tiny nondescript moon of Jupiter, it did not seem like an attractive place for life. Europa is known to be covered in ice and slightly smaller than the Earth’s moon. At first glance this tiny moon seems like an inhospitable place where life cannot exist. However lately the theory that life may be present in Europa has gained momentum.
Despite the physical discrepancies, the oceans of Europa are very similar to our own oceans. How did scientists come to that conclusion? This is due to discoveries made by deep sea submersibles in the last 60 years. Researchers have found that life can exist that depend on a source of energy other than the sun. Here, deep in the oceans where the pressure is so great and there is no sunlight, life flourishes.
Europa is frozen with an icy crust estimated to be a few kilometres thick covering the whole moon. Underneath is Europa’s ocean and a rocky moon with an iron core. With all the ice what keeps the oceans liquid? The reason is tidal heating caused by the immense gravitational pull of Jupiter. This planet, due to its mass exerts a huge gravitational force, which in turn heats up the interior of Europa. Due to this scientists believe there are many hydrothermal vents in the ocean of Europa. These vents let out high energy chemicals that could be used to sustain life.
Like any other astronomers who knows about Europa, this had caught NASA’s and ESA’s attention. For a better understanding of Europa, they are trying to send a probe to Europa. For the success, both ESA and NASA have joined forces. They have decided to create the probe called the Clipper. The initial plan to explore Europa was to insert a deep sea submersible into the sea using a drill. However due to the heavy weight of the cabling, the plan was aborted. Instead they have come up with a different plan of sending a satellite to orbit