Jupiter’s moon, Europa, may glow in the dark

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It has a deep ocean beneath a frozen crust, which like the Earth, can contain salt, and plumes of water vapor have been found above the surface.

Now scientists say the moon can visibly glow green in the dark as high levels of radiation from Jupiter’s powerful magnetic field interact with its moon’s icy surface.

Laboratory simulations have shown that irradiated ice emits a greenish light in a process called “electron stimulated luminescence”.

“The nighttime ice glow that occurs over Europe is perhaps quite unique and unlike any other phenomenon in our solar system,” the study said.

The results were published in the journal Nature Astronomy on Monday.

An upcoming mission from NASA’s Europa Clipper spacecraft, slated to launch later this decade, could observe the glow and map the chemical makeup of Europe’s surface by measuring the amount of ice glow observed at various lengths of wave, said the study’s authors.

A lab simulation shows how Jupiter's moon, Europa, could glow in the dark.

Living environment?

These observations can also help scientists understand the chemical makeup of the moon’s underwater ocean – for example, its salinity – something Murthy Gudipati, lead study author and lead scientist at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory at the California Institute of Technology, said it would be “important for potential livability.”

The interior of Europe could be made up of liquid water oceans that separate the rocky core of the moon and the outer ice shell, according to data from NASA’s Galileo mission in the 1990s, Murthy said.

“Imagine a full coconut, with its hard shell on the outside, then some coconut meat (which is similar to Europa’s ice shell) and then inside we have water in coconut, “he said via email.

“It is believed that this liquid ocean tens of kilometers below the ice shell could have (a) habitable environment. ”

NASA's Europa Clipper spacecraft to investigate Jupiter's icy moon for signs of life

The Europa Clipper, named after the streamlined sailboats of the 1800s, could launch as early as 2023, but a targeted launch is planned for 2025. It is expected to reach Europa after a journey of several years.

Europa Clipper will carry cameras and spectrometers to capture images and determine the composition of the moon.

An ice-penetrating radar will measure the thickness of the ice shell covering the ocean and help find underground lakes that are believed to be there – much like those in Antarctica on Earth. A magnetometer can determine the strength and direction of magnetic fields and could help us understand the depth of the ocean and its salinity.

The ocean on Jupiter Europa's moon has table salt, just like the seas on Earth

Understanding the radiation barrier over Europe is essential because particles could be a source of energy for basic chemical reactions necessary for life.

“Radiation is indeed a form of energy, like light from the sun reaching Earth – which is essential for life on Earth,” Murthy said. “Radiation in the form of electrons, protons and high-energy ions can also be one of the requirements for Europa’s potential habitability.

“Radiation reaching the surface breaks the bonds of water molecules, salts and organic matter – if present – generating more energy-rich molecules like, for example, hydrogen peroxide … which is stable to the temperature conditions of Europe “, he explained.

“These energy-rich materials can enter the oceans on a geological time scale (millions of years), which can increase Europe’s chances of habitability.”

Over Europe, which is roughly the same size as Earth’s moon, temperatures range from about 140 Kelvin (about -210 degrees Fahrenheit) at the moon’s equator to as low as about 50 Kelvin (-370 degrees Fahrenheit) in patches of ice at the moon’s poles.

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