Evidence of Water Vapor Venting off Europa

[Waspie_Dwarf]

Hubble Space Telescope Sees Evidence of Water Vapor Venting off Jupiter Moon

NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope has observed water vapor above the frigid south polar region of Jupiter's moon Europa, providing the first strong evidence of water plumes erupting off the moon's surface.

Previous scientific findings from other sources already point to the existence of an ocean located under Europa's icy crust. Researchers are not yet fully certain whether the detected water vapor is generated by erupting water plumes on the surface, but they are confident this is the most likely explanation.

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[Waspie_Dwarf]

Illustrated fly-by of Europa's plumes (artist's impression)

This animation shows the newly-discovered water vapour plumes on Jupiter's moon Europa. This artist's impression uses actual Jupiter and Europa images in visible light. The Hubble ultraviolet images showing the faint emission from the water vapour plumes have been superimposed, respecting the size but not the brightness of the plumes.

Credit: NASA, ESA, and M. Kornmesser.

Science Credit: NASA, ESA, L. Roth (Southwest Research Institute and University of Cologne, Germany), J. Saur (University of Cologne, Germany), K. Retherford (Southwest Research Institute), D. Strobel and P. Feldman (Johns Hopkins University), M. McGrath (Marshall Space Flight Center), and F. Nimmo (University of California, Santa Cruz)

Source: ESA Hubble Site

[Waspie_Dwarf]

Flying past Europa’s plumes (artist’s impression)

This artist's impression shows the newly-discovered water vapour plumes on Jupiter's moon Europa from a different perspective. It shows Jupiter and its moon Europa using actual Jupiter and Europa images in visible light. The Hubble ultraviolet images showing the faint emission from the water vapour plumes have been superimposed, respecting the size but not the brightness of the plumes.

NASA, ESA, and M. Kornmesser

Science Credit: NASA, ESA, L. Roth (Southwest Research Institute and University of Cologne, Germany), J. Saur (University of Cologne, Germany), K. Retherford (Southwest Research Institute), D. Strobel and P. Feldman (Johns Hopkins University), M. McGrath (Marshall Space Flight Center), and F. Nimmo (University of California, Santa Cruz)

Source: ESA Hubble Site

[Sundew]

Maybe we can send Jeremy Wade to Europa to go ice fishing for "critters."

[Grandpa Greenman]

I want to go fishing on Europa.

Edited December 13, 2013 by GreenmansGod

[Sundew]

I want to go fishing on Europa.

Bring you own worms, the nearest bait store is several hundred million miles away, give or take a mile.

[Waspie_Dwarf]

I'm no expert on fishing, but wouldn't it make sense to find out if there are actually fish there first?

If you want to sit in the vacuum of space at an average temperature of -160^oC (-260^oF) whilst being rapidly irradiated by Jupiter's Van Allen Belts don't let me stop you, but it seems rather a pointless worm drowning exercise if all that is present is microbial life or, worse still, no life is present at all.

Edited December 14, 2013 by Waspie_Dwarf

[Shiloh17]

Imagine if it were possible to stand on Europa and watch a geyser of that magnitude. Probably awesome

and terrifying at the same time.

[ninjadude]

I'm no expert on fishing, but wouldn't it make sense to find out if there are actually fish there first?

they don't go for the fish, they go for the experience

[qxcontinuum]

Wondering what type of creatures are lurking in those icy waters?

[Frank Merton]

I'm no expert on fishing, but wouldn't it make sense to find out if there are actually fish there first?

If you want to sit in the vacuum of space at an average temperature of -160^oC (-260^oF) whilst being rapidly irradiated by Jupiter's Van Allen Belts don't let me stop you, but it seems rather a pointless worm drowning exercise if all that is present is microbial life or, worse still, no life is present at all.

Extreme ice fishing.

[Sundew]

I'm no expert on fishing, but wouldn't it make sense to find out if there are actually fish there first?

If you want to sit in the vacuum of space at an average temperature of -160^oC (-260^oF) whilst being rapidly irradiated by Jupiter's Van Allen Belts don't let me stop you, but it seems rather a pointless worm drowning exercise if all that is present is microbial life or, worse still, no life is present at all.

Well, if you're going to go to all that trouble, you might as well bring bait, lol.

[Xynoplas]

It may be possible that the NASA guys can analyze the light bouncing off that bit of water and find out more about it: isotopes of water and other chemicals that might suggest potential nutrients.

At least, any new surface probe won't need to burrow through miles of ice. Yay!

[Sundew]

It may be possible that the NASA guys can analyze the light bouncing off that bit of water and find out more about it: isotopes of water and other chemicals that might suggest potential nutrients.

At least, any new surface probe won't need to burrow through miles of ice. Yay!

Aw, I want video beneath the ice!

[Xynoplas]

Well, if you're going to go to all that trouble, you might as well bring bait, lol.

That's what the no-return Mars colony is for!

Edited December 17, 2013 by Xynoplas

[Xynoplas]

http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.php?release=2013-362

Clay-Like Minerals Found on Icy Crust of Europa

They are supposing that the "clay" (phyllosilicate) was delivered via an asteroid or comet. But isn't clay something that is created from an alluvial deposit?

[Waspie_Dwarf]

http://www.jpl.nasa....elease=2013-362

Clay-Like Minerals Found on Icy Crust of Europa

They are supposing that the "clay" (phyllosilicate) was delivered via an asteroid or comet. But isn't clay something that is created from an alluvial deposit?

There is already a separate thread on this: HERE