Europa's Surface
Explanation:
Voyager spacecraft images of
Europa's surface, like the one above,
are suggestive of
sea ice on Earth.
The criss-crossing dark streaks
may indeed be cracks in its ice-covered surface
caused by Jupiter's tidal stresses accompanied by
the freezing and expansion of an
underlying layer of water.
This tantalizing prospect of
oceans of liquid water
beneath its frozen surface has helped make the
smallest of
the Galilean moon's of Jupiter a planned focus of
the Galileo spacecraft's ongoing mission to explore the Jovian system.
New Europa images and results from the Galileo mission were
released today revealing details
which further suggest that Europa's icy surface was once - and may still
be - supported on slush or liquid water.
Authors & editors:
Robert Nemiroff
(MTU) &
Jerry Bonnell
(USRA)
NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings,
and Disclaimers
NASA Official: Jay Norris.
Specific
rights apply.
A service of:
LHEA at
NASA /
GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.
