Europa is one of Jupiter's sixteen moons. It is roughly the same size of our moon. With only a thin oxygen atmosphere the moon is covered in ice perhaps 100 km thick. It is five times as reflective as our moon and a lack of craters suggest it is a young satellite. Galileo first saw a faint image of the moon through his primitive telescope.
The Voyager probe relayed crude images of the moon to us and something exciting was found. Europa may have an ocean under it's thick icy crust. On April 9, 1997 the Galileo Orbiter sent back clear evidence of an ocean on Europa. Where there is water, the possibility of life exist.
Liquid water, energy input, and minerals in solution are the three prerequisites required to create life.
Deep sea volcanoes like those present on earth could generate enough energy for life to thrive. However, there is no evidence of volcanoes on Europa.
Another theory is tidal warming. As Europa orbits the other moons and Jupiter tidal pulls release energy. The energy warms or melts materials at different places. The thick icy crust could also work as insulation.
The main theory is that a hail of cosmic charged particles accelerated by Jupiter's magnetic field could give off the proper amount of radiation necessary for life on Europa. The exact amount of energy is up for debate.
The charged cosmic particles could cause some of the frozen water and carbon dioxide in Europa's ice crust to react. The reaction would then create organic chemicals known to sustain some microbial species on earth.
The organic ingredients would then be mixed together and filtered through cracks on Europa's surface to the ocean below.
This theory makes a strong argument for the possibility of life on the moon. However, the amount of radiation if too high could also destroy any possibility of life.
NASA is already taking steps to explore Europa extensively. The Galileo orbiter is currently sending data to earth. Another orbiter is scheduled for launch in 2003 with possible surface missions on 2006 or 2007.
university of Colorado planetary scientist Bruce Jakosky said, "There's energy, and there's almost certainly liquid water, and from what we know about life on earth and its history, there's every reason to suggest that Europa could have had an origin of life and could support life at present...."
As Jakosky says, "We have to go and find out."
By: Heather N. Gibson
"...There's every reason to suggest that Europa could have had an origin of life and could support life at present.."
planetary scientist Bruce Jakosky.
