2024-08-08 04:00:17
Scientists have always dreamed of discovering alien life. A new study of Jupiter’s icy moon Europa may bring humanity closer to that dream. Researchers at Purdue University have unlocked some of the secrets of the structure of the outer layer of glace d’Europerevealing crucial information to assess its potential to harbor the vie.
© NASA/JPL-Caltech
To examine Europa’s structure, planetary physicists use principles similar to those used to study a snowball. By analyzing its texture and composition, they can deduce crucial information. Europa, a rocky moon with salty oceans covered in ice, is a promising target for the research of extraterrestrial life. The key lies in the thickness of its ice layer, a mystery that has remained unsolved until now. Planetary science experts including Brandon Johnson and Shigeru Wakita of theUniversité Purdue recently announced that the ice on Europa is at least 20 meters thick. kilometers. Their study, published in Science Advancesis based on the analysis of impact craters. The models used for this research reveal physical characteristics that formed these structures of surface.
The study of impact craters is crucial to understanding the internal structure of planetary bodies. Craters are ubiquitous on solid surfaces. Numerical simulations allow researchers to deduce the thickness of Europa’s ice by reproducing the formation of these craters.
Impact simulation video.
Credit: Purdue University
Ice thickness is crucial for assessing internal processes and the possibility of life. It influences the exchange of materials between the surface and the ocean, essential for understanding processes on Europa and the probability to find life there.
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