Why does Europa likely have a subsurface ocean?
Quick Answer
Tidal heating from Jupiter keeps Europa’s interior warm enough to maintain a global ocean beneath its icy crust.
The Full Story
Europa is covered by a bright shell of water ice, but evidence suggests a salty liquid ocean lies beneath it. As Europa orbits Jupiter, gravitational flexing generates heat inside the moon, preventing all of its water from freezing solid. Surface features such as cracks, ridges, and chaotic terrain also point to a mobile layer below the ice. NASA’s Galileo mission provided strong evidence, and newer missions such as Europa Clipper are designed to investigate the ocean further. Because it may have liquid water, Europa is one of the most promising places to search for potentially habitable environments beyond Earth.
Key Facts
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Suggested video title for this topic:
"An ocean hidden under ice on a moon of Jupiter—how can that be?"
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