- #1
Arch Enemy
- 5
- 0
Hello there, new to the forums, but it looked like a good place with knowledgeable folks so I've decided to join!
My topic today will be on Jupiters moon Europa.
Its just to gauge others ideas on this moon and the chances of it sustaining, or having the potential to sustain life.
The cracks on the surface of the ice on Europa seem to suggest that it has an ocean under the ice, which would be the biggest ocean in the solar system. There doesn't appear to be any craters on the surface, which means the surface is probably still active, with the ice sheets moving regularly. Now, Europa being so far out from the sun, would not be able to maintain liquid water without the help of some other energy source. Would this be geological activity? Being so small, it should surely have lost this by now though? Also, could it be like what Io has, the gravitational push and pull of the surrounding moons, coupled with the pull of Jupiter itself creating the energy which is keeping the water in a liquid state?
How do we know its water under there and not some other liquid? Its not methane, but doesn't the moon Titan have a weather system with lakes and such with liquid methane?
And also, what are the chances that if there is a liquid water ocean under the icey surface of Europa, that it would be able to sustain life? What sort of pressures and other conditions could we expect down there? What might the condition of the water be in terms of acidity?
My topic today will be on Jupiters moon Europa.
Its just to gauge others ideas on this moon and the chances of it sustaining, or having the potential to sustain life.
The cracks on the surface of the ice on Europa seem to suggest that it has an ocean under the ice, which would be the biggest ocean in the solar system. There doesn't appear to be any craters on the surface, which means the surface is probably still active, with the ice sheets moving regularly. Now, Europa being so far out from the sun, would not be able to maintain liquid water without the help of some other energy source. Would this be geological activity? Being so small, it should surely have lost this by now though? Also, could it be like what Io has, the gravitational push and pull of the surrounding moons, coupled with the pull of Jupiter itself creating the energy which is keeping the water in a liquid state?
How do we know its water under there and not some other liquid? Its not methane, but doesn't the moon Titan have a weather system with lakes and such with liquid methane?
And also, what are the chances that if there is a liquid water ocean under the icey surface of Europa, that it would be able to sustain life? What sort of pressures and other conditions could we expect down there? What might the condition of the water be in terms of acidity?