Why is Europa so smooth? Europa is one of the smoothest objects in the Solar System. Although there are many surface features, including craters, these are few and far between. It is believed that the surface of the moon orbiting Jupiter is a series of brittle tectonic ice plates moving on top of a warmer layer of convecting ice.
Likewise, Does Europa have the smoothest surface?
Jupiter’s large icy moon Europa has the smoothest surface of any solid body in the Solar System. The only prominent relief on its surface are ridges a few hundred metres in height. The tidal forces which cause Io’s intense volcanic activity also affect Europa.
Thereof, Is there an ocean under Europa? Like our planet, Europa is thought to have an iron core, a rocky mantle, and an ocean of salty water. Unlike Earth, however, Europa’s ocean lies below a shell of ice probably 10 to 15 miles (15 to 25 kilometers) thick, and has an estimated depth of 40 to 100 miles (60 to 150 kilometers).
How does Europa have an ocean?
On Europa, heating and increased pressure caused by early radioactive decay or later subsurface tidal movement, would have caused a breakdown of water-containing minerals. Trapped water would be released, and Europa’s underground ocean would be born.
Does life exist Europa?
Europa’s surface is blasted by radiation from Jupiter. That’s a bad thing for life on the surface – it couldn’t survive. But the radiation may create fuel for life in an ocean below the surface. The radiation splits apart water molecules (H2O, made of oxygen and hydrogen) in Europa’s extremely tenuous atmosphere.
Can you breathe on Europa?
Europa has a thin oxygen atmosphere, but it is far too tenuous for humans to breathe. … Europa’s magnetic field shields its surface from Jupiter’s deadly radiation.
How do we know Europa has an ocean?
Based on Europa’s icy composition, scientists think the most likely material to create this magnetic signature is a global ocean of salty water, and this magnetic field result is still the best evidence we have for the existence of an ocean on Europa.
Can Callisto have life?
Callisto has a very thin atmosphere, is thought to contain an ocean, and is therefore another possible contender for life beyond Earth. However, its distance from Jupiter means it doesn’t experience such a strong gravitational pull, so it’s not as geologically active as the other Galilean moons of Io and Europa.
Are there volcanoes on Europa?
Europa is one of the rare planetary bodies that might have maintained volcanic activity over billions of years, and possibly the only one beyond Earth that has large water reservoirs and a long-lived source of energy.
How cold is it on Europa?
Europa’s surface temperature averages about 110 K (−160 °C; −260 °F) at the equator and only 50 K (−220 °C; −370 °F) at the poles, keeping Europa’s icy crust as hard as granite.
Can we live on Titan?
Although there is so far no evidence of life on Titan, its complex chemistry and unique environments are certain to make it a destination for continued exploration.
What if Europa was Earth’s moon?
Covered by a thick layer of ice, with water beneath its surface, Europa is the sixth-largest moon in our Solar System. Because of its icy surface, Europa reflects a lot of sunlight, making it very, very bright. … Plus, if we moved Europa to our current Moon’s spot, it would be millions of kilometers closer to the Sun.
Is the water on Europa drinkable?
The best places to look for life are where the ocean overlies warm rock. This may be the case inside Europa (Jupiter) and Enceladus (Saturn), but chemical reactions with the rock would make the liquid water salty, so not good to drink.
What is the red stuff on Europa?
Despite their unnerving appearance, the red scars criss-crossing Europa are, of course, not biological. They are actually cracks and ridges marking weak lines within the moon’s ice crust, emphasised and exacerbated by the swelling and falling of tides due to Jupiter’s gravitational pull.
How thick is the ice on Europa?
Theory and observation indicate that Europa’s icy shell is around 15 to 25 kilometers (10 to 15 miles) thick, overlying an ocean approximately 60-150 kilometers (40 to 100 miles) deep. Support for this hypothesis comes from observations of pits, domes, and spots on Europa’s surface.
Is Titan habitable?
Habitability. Robert Zubrin has pointed out that Titan possesses an abundance of all the elements necessary to support life, saying “In certain ways, Titan is the most hospitable extraterrestrial world within our solar system for human colonization.” The atmosphere contains plentiful nitrogen and methane.
How deep is the water on Europa?
Europa’s possible ocean is estimated to be 100-200km deep. Despite the great depth of the Europa’s ocean, hydrostatic pressure at the seafloor would be 130-260 MPa, corresponding to 13-26 km depth of a theoretical Earth’s ocean.
Is Europa a real planet?
Europa is the smallest of the Galilean moons of Jupiter , and the sixth closest natural satellite to the planet.
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Quick Facts.
| Ninja Column 1 | Ninja Column 2 |
|---|---|
| First Record: | January 8, 1610 |
| Mean Surface Temperature: | -171.15°C |
| Orbit Period: | 3.551181041 Earth days |
| Orbit Distance from Jupiter: | 671,100 km |
• Sep 25, 2019
Does Europa spin?
Europa rotates once on its axis and completes one orbit of Jupiter every 3.5 Earth days, so the same side of Europa always faces Jupiter.
Can water exist as a liquid in Europa?
Europa. Scientists’ consensus is that a layer of liquid water exists beneath Europa’s (moon of Jupiter) surface, and that heat from tidal flexing allows the subsurface ocean to remain liquid.
Why is Io so hot?
So, why is Io so darn hot? The likeliest cause is tidal forces – the pulling and tugging of the moon by the gravity of Jupiter. Io orbits at only 421,000 km from Jupiter, making a full orbit in ~1.76 days. … This distortion causes heat through friction, thus causing Io to stay hot (and partially molten).
How old is the moon?
Scientists looked to the moon’s mineral composition to estimate that the moon is around 4.425 billion years old, or 85 million years younger than what previous studies had proven.
How deep is the ocean on Europa?
Europa’s possible ocean is estimated to be 100-200km deep. Despite the great depth of the Europa’s ocean, hydrostatic pressure at the seafloor would be 130-260 MPa, corresponding to 13-26 km depth of a theoretical Earth’s ocean.
Does Europa have deep sea vents?
Image via NASA/JPL-Caltech. Like Earth, Jupiter’s moon Europa is believed to be a water world. Scientists have strong evidence that a global subsurface ocean lies beneath Europa’s outer icy surface crust. … There’s a rocky bottom and possible hydrothermal vents much like those found on ocean floors on our planet.
Is Europa core hot?
This illustration, updated as of December 2020, depicts NASA’s Europa Clipper spacecraft.
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