Salt on Europa's icy surface provides new evidence for water ocean below
Posted: Fri, Mar 8, 2013, 6:49 AM ET (1149 GMT)
Planetary scientists reported this week the discovery of a mineral salt on the icy surface of Jupiter's moon Europa that provides them with new evidence that the moon has an ocean of liquid water below its surface. Scientists discovered the presence of magnesium sulfate salt, also known as epsomite, in infrared spectra of the moon taken at the Keck Observatory. The magnesium, they report, could only have come from a salty liquid water ocean below the surface, which would also explain the presence of sodium and potassium atoms detected in a tenuous atmosphere around the moon. The finding indicates that Europa's surface ice and subsurface ocean interact, meaning that energy from the surface may make its way down into the ocean and enhance the prospects for life there.
Planetary scientists reported this week the discovery of a mineral salt on the icy surface of Jupiter's moon Europa that provides them with new evidence that the moon has an ocean of liquid water below its surface. Scientists discovered the presence of magnesium sulfate salt, also known as epsomite, in infrared spectra of the moon taken at the Keck Observatory. The magnesium, they report, could only have come from a salty liquid water ocean below the surface, which would also explain the presence of sodium and potassium atoms detected in a tenuous atmosphere around the moon. The finding indicates that Europa's surface ice and subsurface ocean interact, meaning that energy from the surface may make its way down into the ocean and enhance the prospects for life there.
Related Links:
| <<previous article | next article>> |
|
news in brief
|
|
US and UK militaries conduct coordinated satellite maneuvers
Posted: Sun, Sep 21 8:30 AM ET (1230 GMT) Blue Origin retires a New Shepard capsule after payload flight
Posted: Sun, Sep 21 8:25 AM ET (1225 GMT) |
|
news links
|
|
Wednesday, October 15
Musk ally Jared Isaacman in talks to reclaim NASA chief nomination
Reuters — 7:03 am ET (1103 GMT) Astronomers observe rings forming around icy celestial body Chiron
Reuters — 7:02 am ET (1102 GMT) Martian volcanoes may have transported ice to the planet's equator
New Scientist — 7:02 am ET (1102 GMT) NASA’s JPL cuts 550 jobs in latest round of layoffs at La Cañada Flintridge facility
Los Angeles Times — 7:00 am ET (1100 GMT) ‘Bored aliens’: has intelligent life stopped bothering trying to contact Earth?
The Guardian — 6:59 am ET (1059 GMT) |
