Researchers, utilizing NASA's Juno mission data, determined that Jupiter's moon with its icy ocean possesses less oxygen than previously believed, which diminishes its potential to sustain extraterrestrial life. They found that Europa's frozen surface only generates 26 pounds (12 kilograms) of oxygen per second, contrasting with earlier projections of 2,205 pounds (1,000 kilograms) per second.
The findings they published in the study, titled "Oxygen production from the dissociation of Europa's water-ice surface" available in the journal Nature Astronomy, challenge assumptions, portraying Europa's life-supporting oxygen production as more akin to modest flow than a substantial resource.
Europa's Oxygen Production Challenges Predictions, Sparks Questions for Habitability
Europa generates oxygen as a result of radiation interacting with its surface, causing water ice to split into hydrogen and oxygen. Previous models had indicated a wide range of potential oxygen production rates, from 5 to over 1000 kilograms per second.
However, a more refined estimate based on data from NASA's Juno spacecraft, which conducted a close flyby in 2022, suggests that Europa's frozen surface produces a comparatively modest 12 kilograms of oxygen per second. This finding challenges earlier projections, placing Europa's oxygen generation at the lower end of expectations.
Jamey Szalay and his team from Princeton University, utilizing the Juno spacecraft data, likened Europa's ice shell to a lung that continually generates oxygen. Despite the seemingly limited surface oxygen production rate, scientists acknowledge uncertainties about how much of this oxygen makes its way into the moon's underground ocean.
Szalay emphasized that, while Europa's oxygen scarcity poses challenges to habitability, it doesn't eliminate the potential for microbial life in its subterranean ocean.
Unlike Earth, where photosynthesis by plants, algae, and cyanobacteria contributes to atmospheric oxygen, Europa's oxygen release stems from charged particles bombarding its icy crust. Szalay described Europa's ice shell as akin to a lung, breathing by releasing oxygen while shielding the underlying ocean from harmful radiation.
Despite the absence of future Juno visits to Europa, NASA's upcoming Europa Clipper mission, slated for launch later this year, aims to delve into the conditions that might be conducive to life on the moon by 2030.
Which Moons in the Solar System Could Possible Support Extraterrestrial Life?
Shifting the focus from planets to the myriad moons in the Solar System offers promising prospects for potential habitability. For instance, Saturn's moon Enceladus ranks high due to its extensive saltwater ocean beneath an icy surface. While signs of life are yet undetected, the presence of liquid water and organic molecules makes Enceladus a compelling target for further exploration.
Scientists hypothesize that these organics stem from the moon's core, streaming into the subsurface ocean through hydrothermal vents and erupting through the surface cracks.
Moreover, Saturn's largest moon Titan emerges as another noteworthy candidate, boasting liquid lakes not of water but ethane and methane, resembling conditions akin to Earth's early days. Although the concept of methane-based life remains speculative, modeling suggests plausible conditions for their existence and potential thriving.
Aside from Europa, Jupiter's Ganymede and Callisto moons are also intriguing, believed to harbor subsurface liquid oceans beneath layers of surface ice. Ganymede, distinguished by its intrinsic magnetic field, likely originates from a molten iron core, adding to the allure of these distant celestial bodies.
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