Carbon dioxide detected on Jupiter's moon Europa comes from the vast ocean beneath its icy shell, research using James Webb Space Telescope data indicated on Thursday, potentially bolstering hopes the hidden water could harbor life.
But determining whether this concealed ocean has the right chemical elements to support life has been difficult.
But the researchers could not rule out that the carbon came up from the planet's interior as rock-like carbonate minerals, which irradiation could then have broken apart to become COTable salt has also been detected in Tara Regio—making the area significantly more yellow than the rest of Europa's scarred white plains—and scientists think it may also have come up from the ocean.: we're starting to learn a little bit more what that internal chemistry might look like," Trumbo said.
The NASA-led researchers had also hoped to find plumes of water or volatile gases shooting out of the moon's surface, but failed to spot any.The European Space Agency's Jupiter moon probe Juice launched in April, while NASA's Europa Clipper mission is scheduled to blast off in October 2024. Juice will also look at two of Jupiter's other moons—Ganymede and Callisto—where carbon has been detected.
Australia Latest News, Australia Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Webb Telescope: Ice On Jupiter’s ‘Wet Moon’ Europa Comes From A Hidden OceanData from the James Webb Space Telescope suggest that CO2 ice on Jupiter’s moon Europa is coming from its underground ocean—where extraterrestrial life could exist in theory.
Read more »
Europa’s underground ocean seems to have the carbon necessary for lifeObservations from the James Webb Space Telescope have shown carbon dioxide on the surface of Jupiter’s icy moon Europa – that’s a good sign for the habitability of its buried seas
Read more »
Finisher medal for the 2023 Chicago Marathon unveiled with hidden message insideThe Chicago skyline has a prominent spot in this year’s Bank of America Chicago Marathon finisher medal, but a subtle message takes front and center in this year’s design – and you may have missed it.
Read more »
MIT Prof: Uber Increases Traffic and Carbon Emissions, and Robotaxis Will Be WorseUber was supposed to reduce traffic and carbon emissions, but a study has found that it ended up increasing both. Now, an MIT professor and a CEO have written an op-ed stating that Robotaxis will make the situation even worse.
Read more »